eBay Toolbar Featuring Yahoo! is a free eBay tool that you add to your Web browser, that enables quick access to eBay and Yahoo!. For more information about and to download the free eBay Toolbar, go to the eBay Toolbar Home page.

Why Account Guard is important

eBay Toolbar includes Account Guard to help you protect your eBay account information. One of the biggest threats to the security of your eBay account and your identity is fraudulent email and Web sites, called spoof email and spoof Web sites. Both are used to obtain personal and account information. To help protect its members against this threat, eBay adopted a comprehensive strategy. These efforts include the development technology solutions such as Account Guard, community vigilance, and member education about spoof email and spoof Web sites.

Security Protection Benefits of Account Guard

These key Account Guard features help protect your eBay account information:

• Warns you when you're on a potential spoof Web site.
  
  Account Guard has a Site Indicator button on the eBay Toolbar that changes color to indicate whether you're on a verified site or a potential spoof Web site. The Site Indicator turns:

  • Green if you are on a verified eBay or PayPal Web site.

  • Red if you are on a potential spoof Web site.

  • Gray if you are visiting an unidentified Web site.

  
  Note: Account Guard identifies only eBay and PayPal potential spoof Web sites. When you are not on eBay or PayPal, the Site Indicator will typically be gray.

• Provides eBay Password Protection

  
  Account Guard warns you when you are entering your eBay password into an unverified site (even if it looks like an eBay or PayPal site), and blocks your eBay password from being submitted to the Web site unless you affirm that you want to use your eBay password on that site.

• Lets you report spoof Web sites to eBay

  
  If you suspect that you are on a fraudulent (spoof) eBay or PayPal Web site, you can use the eBay Toolbar to report the site to eBay. If eBay verifies that a Web site is fraudulent, the information is automatically distributed to all other eBay Toolbar members, warning them about the spoof Web site. eBay Toolbar's ability to detect spoof sites increases with the amount of people that download and use it. As more people download eBay Toolbar and report spoof sites to eBay, the entire eBay Community receives increased protection from fraudulent sites.

• Does not use spyware or collect any personal information. The only time eBay Toolbar sends information to eBay about your off-eBay Internet experiences is when you report potential spoof Web sites to eBay. You can review the specific ways eBay uses and protects your personal information by reading eBay's Privacy Policy.

• Provides maximum security if you stay signed in. Some of the Account Guard features work even if you are not signed into the eBay Toolbar. However, you do need to be signed in for the eBay Password Protection feature to work properly.

• Is not disabled if you hide the eBay Toolbar. However, you will not be able to view the Site Indicator, which tells you whether you are on a legitimate eBay or PayPal site, or a potential spoof site.

Learn more about how to protect your eBay account

• Visit eBay's Security Center. 

• Take the Spoof Email Tutorial.

Become part of the vigilant community by forwarding suspicious email to spoof@ebay.com or spoof@paypal.com.