Major privacy and security issue with eBay

[sodium419]

Here's how eBay could be used right now for criminals to find homes with known expensive items and break in and steal those items.

Starting many years ago, eBay started showing the title of all items you sold on your feedback page.  The feedback is very useful for buyers, but showing the items sold is a huge privacy and security concern, which I'll explain how it can be used against you.

Let's say you're fairly well off and collect expensive jewelry.  You like to buy new jewelry and sell jewelry on eBay you no longer wear.  Sounds harmless.  But the problem is a criminal can use this information against you.

A criminal lists a bunch of items for sale on eBay at cost.  You (and many others) buy something from him.  He now has your address.  He then creates a list of addresses and uses your selling history to compile a list of homes and probable items that could be in each home.  You filter to the top of his list as you're only 60 miles away, it shows you've been selling expensive jewelry for years, and you happen to have an $15,000 piece being sold right now (so he knows it's in your possession).   He scopes out your home and breaks in, stealing not only the $15,000 piece that was for sale, but the rest of your collection.  This can be made far worse if there's a criminal network setup across the country doing this, as it maximizes the chances of finding someone local and easier to target.

I know you can hide ALL your feedback, which also includes hiding items sold.  But you really need to be showing feedback if you're selling something (it may even be required).  What I suggest is eBay add a new feature to hide all items sold but still show feedback.  I've had an eBay account for 24 years and have 100% positive feedback.  I never want to hide my feedback.  But hiding the items I've sold is a huge security and privacy concern of mine.  As shown above, this could easily be used to target eBay members.  And a network of criminals could really create a nationwide (or even worldwide) problem.

I currently turn off displaying feedback when I'm not selling something, then turn it back on just for when I have something for sale, then turn it back off.  That only minimizes my chances.  The only current way to totally prevent this is to turn off all feedback forever and only use eBay for buying.  Probably not what eBay wants.

So, eBay, please add a feature to hide items sold.  I see it as a major security and privacy issue.

[katzrul15]

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@eleanor*rigby wrote:

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@katzrul15 wrote:

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Yes, mitoo.  Half of them are Sri-Lankan and others, who knows, Punked?  

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I don't even mind the Sri Lankan posters--I think they've been duped into thinking board participation helps them in some fashion. All they're trying to do is earn money in a country where the median per-capita income is $720. I am more than willing to scroll past their posts.

It's these people who have a bone to pick with eBay because of GTC or Managed Payments or Dr. Seuss or Item Specifics, or with the discussion-board community because they've received warnings or suspensions, so they start pot-stirring threads with circular arguments, straw man fallacies, and an agenda so transparent it's ridiculous. The ones who start out all innocent and quickly show their true colors. They're the ones I'd like to see eliminated. For goodness' sake, if someone has something to say, just say it, rather than hiding behind a throw-away id* and playing members who might actually try to give constructive answers.

*JTBC, not accusing the OP of posting with a throw-away id.

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Don't disagree - on the Sri-Lankan ones, have the time I have posted twice with advice on their question and then someone posts they cannot even sell - they are in Sri Lanka.  So, I have started checking the IDs before I even post anything.  As for the other.....it is concerning.  I agree with you - if there is something you wish to say, then I guess say it.  Clearly they do not wish to use their Selling IDs to post.  Okay - even understand well, why that is.  But it's not a "rant".....it is a "headgame" to prove what point, exactly??

[maxine*j]

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@nobody*s_perfect wrote:

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... If you look at this member's feedback received as a seller...  The feedback comment shows, but nothing about the listing (title, price, etc.).  This has been available for many years... 

https://www.ebay.com/fdbk/feedback_profile/pumpernickledollclothing4u?lb=1

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Funny, isn't it? Because eBay's own explanation of why Private Listings may be chosen includes this line: " As a seller, you might choose to set up private listings when you’re selling high-priced items... "

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/listing-tips/private-listings?id=4161

But that's a solution at hand, and how boring is that?   Phooey!  I have angry fish to fry! 

[sodium419]

Private Listings (per eBay's own description) is only for the BUYER'S protection, not the seller.  As a seller you setup a private listing to protect bidders and buyers, not the seller.

I'm asking for SELLER protection.

[sodelight]

1. A smart seller doesn't buy on their selling ID, they use an exclusive Buying ID. Thus, there is no history available of their sales or purchases.

2. Sellers can use Private listings, thus hiding the item purchased in feedback to anyone but them.

3. One can always use a PO Box, thus no physical address is available.

4. In 24 years here, I've never been concerned about someone wanting my inventory by illicit means! Nothing like you state has ever happened. Not for 1 second have I ever given thought to your step by step crime layout!

5. Considering how much you've thought all this out, it appears one might perceive you have or will attempt it!!

6. I would never post a step by step plan to commit a crime on a public forum! Unbelievable!

[sodium419]

1. Doesn't matter if you have different buy/sell accounts.  Selling alone exposes you.
2. Private Listings (according to all of eBay's documentation) is for the bidder/buyer's protection, not the sellers.  There's also negative connotations when using private listing.  Finally, it doesn't resolve things sold 10 years ago.
3. A billion people shouldn't need to get a PO box when eBay could simply add an additional option to hide selling history on the feedback page.
4. I'm sure criminals are using this technique right now.  And if not, I've let them know how to do it to force eBay's hand to patch this security issue.
5. Anyone could use this technique
6. Posting step by step information on how to exploit a system is exactly how things get patched these days.  See the zero day Microsoft print spooler exploit as an example from 2 weeks ago, Microsoft had it patched in a week.

[forward-motion]

Another round and round OP's rant about nothing. That's why I did not take this one seriously from the beginning. 

I'm out. 

[sodelight]

Btw, based on your theory a buyer who purchased that high ticket item should be worried the seller will come to their house and steal it back and assume they have all expensive items!

I guess buyers should either have their addresses hidden or use a PO Box!! Of course no one can make a purchase without an address. So your paranoia works both ways!

[katzrul15]

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@forward-motion wrote:

Another round and round OP's rant about nothing. That's why I did not take this one seriously from the beginning. 

I'm out. 

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Yep.  🙄

[sodium419]

That too is possible, but exposing everything you've ever sold is far more of a privacy and security concern.

[sodium419]

Just your opinion, which I don't share.

[gracieallen01]

@sodium419 

So, someone is going to do their spreadsheet, discover i sell expensive items, drive 60-600 miles and sit outside my house until I leave and then break in?  They may have a long wait as I don't always go out every day, or every other day, or perhaps not for a week (retired, no fixed schedule).  Ain't no 'facilities' nearby, so they might bring attention to themselves long before they even thought about it.

I hate to say it but, in my personal opinion, I think there are fewer holes in the Swiss cheese in the 'fridge' than in your theory of how it 'should' work'.

[mtgraves7984]

"A criminal lists a bunch of items for sale on eBay at cost.  You (and many others) buy something from him.  He now has your address.  He then creates a list of addresses and uses your selling history to compile a list of homes and probable items that could be in each home.  You filter to the top of his list as you're only 60 miles away, it shows you've been selling expensive jewelry for years, and you happen to have an $15,000 piece being sold right now (so he knows it's in your possession).   He scopes out your home and breaks in, stealing not only the $15,000 piece that was for sale, but the rest of your collection."

@sodium419 

Where I live, the criminals are strung out on drugs and not nearly as lucid, patient, intelligent or hooked-up to do this stuff, especially on the chance they'd get to burglarize your home at a later date.

[fern*wood]

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@sodium419 wrote:

It doesn't hide previous sales from years ago.  Also, the "Private Listing" description doesn't say anything about hiding the sale on the sellers feedback page.  All it talks about is protecting buyer/bidders.  Further, for new sales, a "Private Listing" has negative annotations .

So no, this isn't a solution.  It's a fine suggestion, but only people selling porn or doing something deceptive use private listings.

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I fail to see how your suggestion would look any different than the private listing suggestion.  You want the feedback visible and the item hidden.  done   Old sold items are gone.

Frankly, if a criminal wants to try to find one of my listed items in my house---good luck.  I can't find them myself.

[sodium419]

I just gave a single example.  Someone could target more local sellers.  I used the 60 mile example as that's just what the search result was when I did my first test example.

[sodium419]

I'm talking more high-end theft, where the mark is for a $100k+ payday.