Phish may be a great band (myself being a self described closet Deadhead)

"Heavy Things" (song reference) may come down on you if you don't heed this warning...

But this isn't about the band called Phish - it's about a scam that is becoming quite popular on ebay.

This was just sent to me by an associate and I thought it might be beneficial to anyone who uses ebay.

Personally, I've sold maybe three things in my life on ebay.
It turns out I really don't like packing things, boxing and taping them up, and going to the post office and waiting in line.  I'm an ebay buyer.

If there is a scam for the sellers you can also be certain there's also a scam out there for the bidders too.



"It starts as an email from a "potential buyer" about the item you have listed, asking if it is the same as this item at this location. (they give you a link that looks like ebay) You respond - and it takes you to what LOOKS like ebay and you have to enter your username and password. Bingo - hooked another one! Then - all the existing bids on your item are canceled - within a minute or so of each other. Then you start getting emails from OTHER sellers that have apparently gotten a similar request from your hi-jacked ebay account - and the cycle starts for them. Then your password to ebay no longer works. When reset - ebay has a message to you (and it is also in your personal email) that your account was compromised, etc., etc., etc... so do this, then this, then this, then that. Ebay knows ALL ABOUT IT and how it works."

This is called Phishing.
Here's a link to ebay's page on it: LINK
If you do get a funny looking email, don't delete it - forward it to spoof@ebay.com
They are pretty good at getting back to you as well.

Phishing comes in many forms and hopefully you are smart enough not to be sucked in by any of it.
If you do get other suspicious emails from your bank, your credit union, PayPal, or anywhere else, you can also go here: http://www.castlecops.com/pirt to report them.
They'll attack it for you.

IMPORTANT: If someone you know, as in your friends, family or co-workers, forwards you an email about a new virus, a new missing child, a petition to make vanilla the flavor of the month, or anything that asks you to pass this along to all those in your address book, and if you do you can help save this __________, 

Do the world a favor, just one thing, before you do anything else.

Cut and paste the beginning of the email body.

Go to www.Snopes.com and do a quick search for this email you are about to blast to the world.

Many times what sounds like a real story is indeed a farce.  Then again sometimes these are real.  Wouldn't it be nice to know the difference?

BTW: If you send me something like this, I'll check it out at snopes first, if it's false I'll make sure to reply to everyone in your email letting both you and all the cc'd people how NOT to be a sucker to these. I'll make sure I send it from my business email so I get some free advertising too!

I'll do it partly to embarrass you, partly to educate, partly to change the world, and partly because you caused me  to stop what I was doing and look research something you should have done in the first place. 

I'd much rather empower you to make educated informed decisions instead. 

Be careful (and responsible) out there!