Protecting yourself from account or identity theft
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Keeping your personal information secure is one of our top priorities. We work hard to help protect your eBay account from unauthorized access. You can help. Here are important steps you can take to prevent others from gaining access to your account and personal information.
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Choose your user ID, password, and secret question carefully |
Your user ID and password give you access to your eBay account. Choose them carefully, and make sure your password and secret question are difficult to guess. Don’t use the same sign-in information for several online accounts. If others can access one of your accounts, they can access your other accounts as well.
Use these tips to choose a secure user ID, password, and secret question.
User ID |
Choose a user ID that isn't related to your email address or other online accounts. This will help reduce the amount of unwanted email you receive and help keep all your online accounts secure.
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Password |
Choose a secure password that's difficult for others to guess.
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Secret question |
Choose a secret question that you can answer easily but others can't easily guess. If someone can answer your secret question, they might be able to reset your password. If you don't have a secret question, you can create one. If you already have a secret question, you can change it.
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Tip: For added password-protection, consider using the PayPal Security Key. It's a keychain-sized device that generates a unique 6-digit security code for you to add to your password when you sign in to eBay.
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Beware of spoof emails and websites |
Spoof (fake) emails often attempt to mimic legitimate eBay emails. The people who send these messages hope you'll click a link in the email and provide sensitive personal information, such as your eBay account information, Social Security number, or credit card number.
If you receive suspicious email, don't click any links in the message. Learn how to recognize and report spoof email and spoof websites.
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Monitor your account for suspicious activity |
Check My eBay and your preferences from time to time to make sure no one has used your account or made any unauthorized changes. If you see anything out of the ordinary with your account, report it to us right away and act quickly to secure your account and protect yourself from identity theft.
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Install and update online protection software |
Read up on the latest online protection software to learn how you can protect your computer's data against unauthorized access.
Antivirus software |
Computer viruses can record what you type on your keyboard. Emails can have viruses that find and send information from your files. Install the latest version of antivirus software and use it regularly to scan your computer. |
Spyware protection |
Spyware is software that's downloaded on your computer without you knowing to collect personal information and record your Internet use. By keeping your spyware protection up-to-date, you can help make sure people who want to steal your account or your identity won't have access to your computer. |
Internet firewalls |
Firewalls control the flow of information between your computer and the Internet. Using a hardware or software firewall helps prevent unauthorized people from accessing information stored on your computer. It's especially important to use a firewall if you have a high-speed connection that's always connected to the Internet. |
Trusteer Rapport |
For extra protection, download Trusteer Rapport. This free software works with your existing firewall and anti-virus software to give you added security when using eBay, and helps prevent theft of your personal information. |
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Help us easily verify your identify |
We use a number of techniques to protect your account from unauthorized access. One way is by checking whether you're using one of your usual computers to access your account.
If you're using a different computer than usual—for example, at the office or at a friend's house—we'll require some additional verification before you can list an item.
To help us quickly and easily confirm your identity, we suggest you:
Check that your personal information is current. We might need to verify the personal information in your account, such as your telephone number or address.
Provide a secondary phone number. We strongly suggest you provide a cell phone number, so we can reach you while you're on the go.
Review your secret question. Make sure your secret question and answer are easy for you to remember, but difficult for others to guess.
