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.

[sodium419]

Or, eBay could add a simple optional feature to patch a security and privacy hole.

[donsdetour]

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@sodium419 wrote:

I already have every anti-theft/anti-criminal security just about anyone could afford.  But my topic is to prevent the physical security needed in the first place, by adding an OPTIONAL switch.  It's amazing how many people object so much to an OPTION to increase security/privacy.  What's the harm in a switch you never need to check unless you don't want to?  No one yet has given one good reason why it shouldn't be done.  My guess, those in opposition are already using the scheme outlined.

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Option is simple:

private feedback.

But you have been told this already:

You have an agenda that is not what you are stating:  is my opinion of this topic.

[7606dennis]

Actually, one of the biggest ways to invite thieves to your home is to leave the boxes from your high end purchases by the curb awaiting trash pickup.

[sodium419]

Private feedback isn't a solution.  First, it doesn't protect you from sales from the last 10 years.  Secondly, it has negative connotations when selling.  Therefore, while this could help in some cases, it doesn't solve the problem.  My agenda is to increase PayPal security and privacy, which is why I'm suggesting a solution.  Thanks for the suggestion!

[sodium419]

Nothing really high-end is an a branded box that you throw out.

[glasser]

When it comes to crime, anything is possible. There have certainly been a lot crimes associated with Craig's List.

Regardless of whether a transaction is private or not, eBay transactions leave mounds of digital evidence making this kind of crime a one off.

So possible but unlikely to be a trend.

Especially so when all some has to do is buy something expensive, claim INAD,  send an empty box and get a refund 🙂

[mrdutch1001]

well then I suggest YOU personally contact eBay headquarters, all the board members, all the employees , shareholders, etc and YOU make YOUR proposal to them and see how they react...

suggesting such in the forums is a complete waste of time. Suggestions/ideas need to go through the proper channels and where  someone "might" see the merit in such a suggestion, but the teeny tiny response here in the forum will do nothing/go no where= there is no interest here and no one cares...

[sodium419]

I'm just proposing an optional checkbox people can use (if they wish) to hide the previous sales, which would increase privacy (and security if one has a history of selling expensive items).

[sodium419]

I have already contacted eBay headquarters, thanks for suggesting what has already been done.

What I'm doing with this thread is showing how the exploit can be done to force their hand to fix the problem.  This is the exact same practice that's done with Apple, Microsoft, Google pertaining to operating system security patches.  Someone releases a paper that shows the security flaw, and the company is forced to patch the security hole.

Everyone here is doing their part by replying, which bubbles this thread to the top.  So thanks to you and everyone else.

[mrdutch1001]

well then, best of luck!

and be sure to request some sort of remuneration from eBay for this very worthy proposal...

[sodium419]

No need, my gift is to the community to keep them safe.

[maxine*j]

Amazing, isn't it, how many posters think that if they can convince us, a few dozen regulars on these boards, of something it will matter.  Nope.  Would not make one iota, speck, smidgen, bit, tittle, scrap, particle, atom, jot, or scintilla of difference to how eBay runs its business.

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[downunder-61]

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@sodium419 wrote:

No need, my gift is to the community to keep them safe.

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Aaahh, the gift that keep's on giving...............

and giving..........

[printpeople]

Get past the 12 cameras, the alarms, the dogs, then the gun, and land in jail or a grave at the end..... It's not really worth it to most people.  

[sodium419]

Not trying to convince anyone here with 3 month old eBay accounts.  It's to draw the attention to eBay so they fix the security hole.  It's quite obvious that people here are not capable of understanding the gravity of this.