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The Auction Guild Notes Thu 18 Oct 2007
  

THIS ISSUE -
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HAS YOUR EBAY ACCOUNT BEEN COMPROMISED?
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EBAY TESTING PHONE SUPPORT
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DISCOUNTED LISTING FEES ON EBAY US THROUGH 5 NOV 2007
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DISCOUNTED LISTING FEES ON EBAY CA THROUGH 5 NOV 2007
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EBAY US UK LISTINGS IN COLLECTIBLE CATEGORIES TO SHOW
ON US AND UK SITE AGAIN BUT REQUIRES PAYPAL
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TAG OPENS CHAT BOARD WWW.TAGCHAT-OAI.COM
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HAS YOUR EBAY ACCOUNT BEEN COMPROMISED?
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On Tuesday 25 Sep 2007 at 5:42 AM ebaY time, a hacker posted 29 to 50
pages of ebaY user information on the ebaY Trust and Safety discussion
board (at approx 40 threads per page that is between 1100 and 2000 user
IDs). The information was posted by using the user ID and account of the
user whose information was posted, and included the ebaY user ID, email
address, phone, name, street, city, state, zip, country, feedback info,
what site they registered on, user status, powerseller status, payment
method they used to pay ebaY, credit card number (with expiration date),
credit card CVV2 code (the three digit security code on the back of the
card), whether they are id verified, if they have an ebaY store and
which site that is registered on, and if they are PayPal verified or not
verified. The threads that contained the info also had a signature at
the bottom of the post - SGI Inc. - emocnI gnitareneG rof snoituloS
(Solutions for Generating Income spelled backwards) SGI Inc. is the
company name used by Vladuz, a hacker who has demonstrated that he ha
s the ability to access ebaY databases.

After around 90 minutes of exposure, ebaY shut down the Trust and Safety
board, occurring at around 7:15 AM, after trying to remove the thread
posts at a time (the hacker was faster at posting than ebaY was at
removing). One poster on the board discussing this incident, who saw the
information, ran one of the credit card numbers posted through his
merchant account verification, and it came back correct. Other posters
said the CC info was not correct. Board posters got screenshots and
compiled a list of user IDs so folks could check to see if their user ID
was posted. When one board poster put the list on her ebaY Me page, ebaY
removed the page and gave her a pink slap (an official violation notice
with the threat of suspension).

We have a list of several hundred of the IDs we have compiled from some
of the screen shots we had access to and those lists posted by other
folks on various boards (including ebaY's) around the net. You can view
the list we compiled at this link. This list is NOT complete as it is
believed there were over 1500 user IDs posted. You can find the
Compromised User ID List at
http://tagchat-oai.com/forum/index.php/topic,17.0.html

To read the complete article and view screen shots of the posted pages, go to -
http://www.auctionguild.com/generic163.html

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EBAY TESTING PHONE SUPPORT
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It looks as if ebaY is testing a customer service phone number being
made available to "regular" users. The message shows up in My ebaY - The
person who received this message it is a casual user of ebaY, buys and
sells once in a while.
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Dear users name (user ID):
As one of our most loyal and active members, your membership status
entitles you to a toll-free telephone number to contact eBay's customer
service directly. We're here to help if you need us, so the next time
you need assistance from eBay, you can give us a call:
800-717-EBAY (800-717-3229)
This phone number is only for members like you who have been invited to
participate, so please be ready to provide your member ID when you call.
We appreciate your choice to use eBay and look forward to helping you
make the most of your shopping experience. Please call us if you ever
need a hand. Sincerely,
eBay Customer Support

P.S. From time to time, if we notice you are having an issue with a
transaction or a problem with your account, we may proactively try to
reach you. Please help us provide the best possible service--make sure
we have your correct contact phone number: www.ebay.com/UpdateContact
------------------
If you are not on their "list" they hang up on you.

Of course under the "will ebaY never learn" category, ebaY has a
clickable link in the message that takes you to a redirected ebaY log in
page. Is this an early holiday gift for the scammer set, who are sure to
mimic the message for phishing? ebaY NEVER seems to learn from their
prior mistakes. TAG guesses that ebaY feels their My ebaY and My Message
system is secure, though those of us who follow ebaY know that NOTHING
is secure on ebaY. ebaY opening another door for the scammers to exploit
by putting a clickable link in what we are assuming (a dangerous thing
to do) is a legitimate message, just facilitates the scammers.


TAG also wonders if the information posted by the hacker on the Trust
and Safety board on 25 Sep, demonstrated to ebaY just how out of date is
their user base contact information and is using this telephone ploy as
a way to get this information updated.

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DISCOUNTED LISTING FEES ON EBAY US THROUGH 5 NOV 2007
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ebaY US is discounting listing fees for auction and fixed price listings
through Mon 5 Nov 2007 at 23:59:59 PT (11:59 PM plus 59 seconds).

For items with a starting price of 99 cents or less the fee is 10 cents,
up to 9.99 - 25 cents, up to 24.99 - 40 cents, up to 49.99 - 80 cents,
up to 199.99 - $1.60, up to 499.99 -$2.40, 500.00 and up $3.20. For
ebaY Motors US cars and trucks listings cost $25.00, motorcycles and
powersports $20.00, powersports vehicles under 50cc $2.00, other
vehicles $25.00

ebaY will still charge all other fees including final value fees,
listing upgrade fees, such as Buy It Now, featured plus, subtitle, highlight, bold, gallery, gift
services, scheduled listings, gallery featured, homepage featured, reserve fees, ebaY
Picture Services, duration fees, etc.

ebaY is excluding, International, Live Auction, Professional Services,
Motors Local Market,, Ad Format, Real Estate and Store Inventory
listings, from the 20 cent promotion. Additionally, they are excluding
the following business and industrial categories from the insertion fee
discount: tractors & farm machinery (91952), heavy equipment (25249),
concession trailers, carts (67145), imaging and aesthetics equipment
(92035), forklifts and other lifts (97185), manufacturing equipment
(92080), metalworking equipment (92082) and commercial printing presses
(26247). The promotional rate does not apply to listings with a start
date prior to October 18, 2007-including those listings revised during
the promotional period. The promotional rate also does not apply to
listings created October 18 - November 5, 2007 and scheduled to start
after the promotion ends.

List auction items through the Sell Your Item Form, ebaY Seller Tools,
and most third-party tools. For sellers listing with any tool other than
eBay's new Sell Your Item Form, the promotional price will not be shown
during the listing process. Instead the discount will be reflected in
view account status, as well as in the invoice.


Anyone can participate in this promotion, but they must list on ebaY US
and be willing to ship to the US and accept payment in US dollars.

For more info go to -
http://pages.ebay.com/promo/33offinsertions/

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DISCOUNTED LISTING FEES ON EBAY CA THROUGH 5 NOV 2007
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ebaY CA is discounting listing fees for auction and fixed price listings
through Mon 5 Nov at 23:59:59 ET (11:59 PM plus 59 seconds).

For items with a starting price of US 99 cents or less the fee is 10
cents, up to 9.99 - 25 cents, up to 24.99 - 40 cents, up to 49.99 - 80
cents, up to 199.99 - $1.60, up to 499.99 -$2.40, 500.00 and up $3.20.
For ebaY Motors US cars and trucks listings cost $25.00, motorcycles and
powersports $20.00, powersports vehicles under 50cc $2.00, other
vehicles $25.00

For items with a starting price of CA 99 cents or less the fee is C10
cents, up to 11.99 - C30 cents, up to 29.99 - C45 cents, up to 59.99 -
C90 cents, up to 239.99 - C$1.85, up to 599.99 -C$2.80, 600.00 and up
$3.70. Motors parts and accessories are included - we think - and Motor
vehicles might or might not be as in one place ebaY says they are and in
another not.

ebaY will still charge all other fees including final value fees,
listing upgrade fees, such as Buy It Now, featured plus, subtitle, highlight, bold, gallery, gift
services, scheduled listings, gallery featured, homepage featured, reserve fees, ebaY
Picture Services, duration fees, etc.

ebaY is excluding, International, Live Auction, Professional Services
, Ad Format, Real Estate and Store Inventory listings, from the 20 cent
promotion. Additionally, they are excluding the following business and
industrial categories from the insertion fee discount: tractors & farm
machinery (91952), heavy equipment (25249), concession trailers, carts
(67145), imaging and aesthetics equipment (92035), forklifts and other
lifts (97185), manufacturing equipment (92080), metalworking equipment
(92082) and commercial printing presses (26247). The promotional rate
does not apply to listings scheduled to start after the promotion ends.


List auction items through the Sell Your Item Form, ebaY Seller Tools,
and most third-party tools.

For more info go to -
http://pages.ebay.ca/promo/33promo1018/

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EBAY US UK LISTINGS IN COLLECTIBLE CATEGORIES TO SHOW
ON US AND UK SITE AGAIN BUT REQUIRES PAYPAL
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ebaY taketh away and eaY giveth back - conditionally. Items listed in
the UK will show on the US site in the categories, Antiques, Art,
Coins, Collectables, Dolls & Bears, Pottery, Porcelain & Glass or Stamps
categories, if the seller offers PayPal as one of the payment options
for the item, and specifies the price of postage to the US.

Items listed on ebaY.com in the same categories, and meeting the
equivalent criteria, will appear on ebaY.co.uk if sellers on ebaY.com US
must have feedback of at least 100 and at least 98% positive rating for
their items to appear on ebaY.co.uk.

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TAG OPENS CHAT BOARD WWW.TAGCHAT-OAI.COM
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TAG has opened an online auction industry chat board. We tested it for
a few months and hopefully it is all working well. If you ever wanted
to moderate a topic on a chat board, contact us and we will see if we
can set something up for you.
http://tagchat-oai.com/forum/index.php#1

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THE AUCTION GUILD
and eTRADERS GUILD
www.auctionguild.com
Not just a venue
http://www.auctionguild.com
email us - tag@theauctionguild.com

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