eBay Phishing Scams

Those malcontents of the world who seek to impose malicious havoc on your Internet experience and to acquire your money in any way, shape or form are constantly looking for new avenues of attack. The state of computer and Internet security in general is primarily reactive. The bad guys invent a new form of attack. The security vendors come up with a defense for the new attack. Rinse and repeat. Apparently, one of the newer forms of phishing is to leverage the power of the eBay auction site to lure unsuspecting users. Now, if one is looking for a stereo system and stumbles upon an entry with a picture of a nude woman rather than a Panasonic amplifier, common sense would suggest that you ignore it and continue with your search for a great deal on stereo systems. However, many will undoubtedly click on the naked woman, perhaps hoping that she, in fact, has the very best stereo deal available, or that she will personally show up- dressed (or not) as she is in the picture to install the stereo system for you. For more details on these types of eBay phishing attacks, check out this article from The Register by Mark Whitehorn. There are two bottom lines here. First, have the common sense to realize that the naked woman is at best spam, and more likely a cover for some form of malware or attack. Second, beware as you surf eBay, and other sites, and don't click on links that seem suspicious. For more tips to avoid being a phishing victim, read Protect Yourself From Phishing Scams.