Stay Safe from Scammers
Tips for recognizing scams, phishing emails, fake web pages, and what to watch out for when buying or selling.
Recognize Scams
Scammers will try to reach you where you least expect it, including by phone, email, or text message. Be suspicious of any unusual request for your personal or financial information. Don’t click on links that come from people you don’t know, and don’t respond. It’s safest just to delete these messages.
- Email phishing is one of the most common ways people become victims of financial fraud, ransomware, or worse. Be suspicious of any email that promises a deal that is too good to be true, demands you take immediate action, includes attachments or links, or asks you for personal information. Never click on a link or open a file in an email unless you are absolutely certain that you know the sender and that the message itself makes sense.
- Be suspicious of any request for personal or account information. eBay will never ask you to confirm your account password or personal details by email.
- Scammers will try to reach you where you least expect it, including by text. Don’t click on links that come from people you don’t know, and don’t respond.
- Watch out for pop-ups that tell you that you need to verify account information, click a link, or download software. When in doubt, close your browser and type in the company’s URL or use a familiar bookmark.
- Never open or download files attached to emails you aren’t expecting, even if they seem to come from people or businesses you know. These attachments can infect your system with malware that can steal your personal information, take money from your accounts, buy things on your account, and send scam emails to all your email contacts!
- Don’t respond to phone requests for your account information either. eBay will never ask you for your password or financial information over the phone.
- eBay gift cards are ONLY redeemable on the eBay website. Never share gift card codes over email or phone. Learn how to protect yourself and report scams.
Recognize Fake Emails
Fake emails often include the eBay logo and a fake eBay address in the "From" line (for example, "From: support@ebay.com"). Just because an email looks real doesn't mean it is. To report a fake email that looks like it came from eBay, forward it as an attachment to spoof@ebay.com. Here are signs to watch out for:
Real eBay Email
Fake eBay Email
Real eBay Email
Fake eBay Email
Real eBay Email
Fake eBay Email
Real eBay Email
Fake eBay Email
Recognize Fake Web Pages
Fake emails often include links to fake web pages designed to trick you into giving up your financial or account information. Here are tips to help you determine if a web address goes to a real eBay web page.
- Even if the web address contains the word "eBay", it might not be an eBay website. Real eBay web addresses have ".ebay.com/" in them. There won't be anything between the period and "ebay" and there won't be anything after the ".com" and the first forward slash (/).
- If you're signing in with your eBay username and password, be sure that the web address starts with https://signin.ebay.com/. Look for the "s" in "https," which indicates that you're signing in to a secure server.
Real eBay address
Fake eBay address
Real eBay address
Fake eBay address
Real eBay address
Fake eBay address
When in doubt, start at the eBay home page
If you want to sign in to eBay or enter personal information, the safest way is to start at the eBay homepage. Type www.ebay.com in your browser.
Make sure you're on a real eBay sign-in page
Before you sign in to eBay, make sure you're really on our website by checking the web address (URL) on the sign-in page. Other eBay companies and international sites have different web addresses for their sign-in page.
Sign in web addresses for eBay and our other companies
| Site | Web address |
|---|---|
| eBay.com | https://signin.ebay.com/signin |
| Goldin | https://goldin.co/signin |
| TCGplayer | https://www.tcgplayer.com |
When You Buy and Sell
To help ensure that the world can shop safely on eBay, we are updating the protocols we use to secure communications to and from eBay systems. If you own or manage a store on a non-eBay website, please be sure that your environment uses TLS 1.2*
- Don't be fooled by fraudulent emails directly from the seller telling you that there was something wrong with your payment.
- Due to potential for fraud, we don't allow buyers and sellers to complete sales outside of eBay. These sales are not eligible for Feedback, requests for contact information, or eBay's problem resolution services.
- Don't be fooled by offers to get a better price by paying outside of eBay or by using an unapproved payment method.
- Make sure you are logged in to the real eBay site.
- The eBay Money Back Guarantee covers the purchase price plus original shipping if the item doesn't match the seller's description. Buyers need to pay with an eligible payment method. Cash, checks, and money orders are not covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee.
- Complete your payment using an eligible payment method.
- Don't transfer money directly into a seller's bank account. Instead, use a secure payment site such as PayPal, where money is transferred between two electronic accounts.
- Avoid communicating with sellers privately off of eBay. The record of your communications will provide helpful backup information in case you have problems with your purchase or payment later.
- Don't agree to unusual requests to make additional payments for shipping or other previously unlisted charges after the sales transaction is complete.
- Don't share unnecessary personal information with buyers or sellers.
- Never accept overpayments from buyers for items, especially if the buyer asks to be reimbursed for overpayment. Requests like this are often part of a counterfeit cashier's check scheme. Learn more about avoiding payment problems.
- Do not share your credit card or other financial information over email or text.
* Important Information about TLS 1.2:
Transport Layer Security version 1.2 (TLS 1.2) is now mandatory for communication with eBay.
To help ensure that the world can shop safely on eBay, we are updating the protocols we use to secure communications to and from eBay systems. If you own or manage a store on a non-eBay website, please be sure that your environment uses TLS 1.2.
Merchants and partners use HTTPS to securely connect with eBay servers. eBay uses the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol to encrypt these communications. To ensure that all financial data is protected throughout payment processes, eBay is updating its services to require TLS 1.2 for all HTTPS connections.
To avoid any disruption of service, please be sure that your systems are ready for this change.