eBay Safe Harbor Pre-Suspension Hoax Email and web page scam
in distribution from
16th November 2003

Safe Harbor Pre-Suspension hoax email targets
eBay users ...

This eBay Safe Harbor email is a hoax and was reported to us on the 16th November 2003. The email is being distributed in text only format so be aware that it may look slightly different if you receive it, depending on your email program settings (see images below).

This hoax email states that you must complete a form (using the link provided) to confirm that you are the account owner, due to a suspension for a violation of eBay's site policy (misrepresentation of identity).

The link that is provided is cloaked (disguised) and it will take you to a fake eBay page which contains a form for you to provide vital information, including eBay username and password, credit or debit card and bank details (see images below).

Any information that you enter into that form, and then submit, is sent on to the scammers, or fraudsters, utilising CGI script, while you are diverted to the genuine ebay.com secure sign in page.

If you have received this hoax email, please remember that it is very common for these email scams to be redistributed at a later date with only slightly different content or the same but with the fake page(s) hosted by a different provider. Also, once you have received one of these hoaxes, it is also common place to receive at least another one and usually a day or two after the first, although not necessarily from the same apparent sender.

Take a good look at the following images, because this hoax email scam may be coming to an inbox near you!

The fake web page...