OT: eBay account locked

[Another John]

Hi all

I don't use eBay much, but it's useful whenever I do.

On 2nd April I received what I considered to be a dodgy email from eBay telling me they have reset my password and secret questions "to protect my account from unauthorised use".

I put it to one side; a large part of me thinks "well if I do all they ask, and this is a spoof ..."

So today I want to buy something off eBay, and the account is (sho' nuff) locked --reset password etc. But I'm still thinking ... "but if this is a spoof ..."

Any recommendations on what to do, and in particular if this is a common occurrence?

BTW I haven't _noticed_ anything dodgy happening with the email name (which is my eBay ID) in question.

Cheers John

[Andy Burns]

As long as you don't visit anything *other* than the ebay.co.uk or .com websites, or respond to link in emails from outside those domains, you should be safe.

[Scott]

Can you not reset via the site rather than the email? When I receive an email from Barclays, I never open any links. I just delete the email and go to the website to check for secure messages there.

I once got calls from Barclaycard asking for my account number. I asked them 'security questions' which they would not answer. I refused to co-operate, saying I was not satisfied it was a genuine call from Barclaycard. It turned out it was and they were trying to tell my I had exceeded my credit limit :-)

[Robert]

I believe that any genuine email from eBay is also replicated as a message in your eBay message in box. Probably not much use if you now cant actually login !

Always found eBay Chat help once you have drilled down and found it helpful.

[David Wade]

Did you check to see who it was really from? Most PCs will show this with a mouse hover. Usually the spam has a spoofed from address.

If its spoof that doesn't mean someone hasn't tried to hack your E-Bay account.

Check the e-mail address of the sender. If it looks genuine go directly to e-bay and check.

Dave

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

They used to have a telephone help line in the Irish republic. Normally you tell their emails by the fact they address you as you specify when you join. Brian

[Vir Campestris]

Phone rings. "This is Lloyds Bank. To confirm your identity I want to ask you some security questions".

I laughed out loud, attracting the attention of all my colleagues. Then said "If you're really the bank - I have no idea who you are. You've got a pretty good idea who I am, you called my number".

There was a pause.

Then "You're right you know, but nobody else has ever said anything".

I told him to send a message to a named branch, and picked it up at lunchtime.

Just sales.

Andy

[Another John]

OP here: thanks a lot, chaps, for the advice: I shall proceed, with caution!

Cheers John