Very bizarre conversation with eBay help representative (long read, sorry!)

Greenlizard0

Greenlizard0

Greenlizard0

Man of Honour
Joined
15 Mar 2004
Posts
28,140
Location
Liverpool
Does this seem a trifle strange to you?

13:54:09 System
Initial Question/Comment: UK ATO
13:54:14 System
Welcome to eBay Account Security Live Help. A representative will be available to address your issue shortly.
13:54:14 System
Ericka has joined this session!
13:54:14 System
Connected with Ericka
13:54:50 Ericka
Hello and thank you for contacting Account Security, this is Ericka. How may I help you?
13:55:15 yeahpresh!
Hi, I've had problems logging into my account and have had to reset my password
13:55:28 yeahpresh!
It appears that I have yet more unauthorised going ons in my account
13:56:10 Ericka
I understand your concern. One moment please while I review your account. I will be with you shortly.
13:58:56 Ericka
Thank you for waiting. Can you provide me with your ##### address please?
14:01:20 yeahpresh!
Sure, it's #####
14:02:01 Ericka
Thank you for that information. Now I need to ask you a question only you can answer to ensure you are the true account owner.
14:02:46 Ericka
Do you by chance have a second eBay account registered under your name?
14:02:52 yeahpresh!
No
14:03:47 Ericka
Have you ever lived with someone who has an eBay account?
14:04:23 yeahpresh!
More than likely...I'm a student ###
14:04:45 yeahpresh!
I'm not sure about this year (not really something I've asked yet), but I'm pretty sure I have in previous years
14:05:05 yeahpresh!
In fact the last two years I lived with somebody who deffo had one
14:05:41 Ericka
Great! Can you provide me with either their registered email address or eBay User ID?
14:06:11 yeahpresh!
I haven't a clue unfortunetly
14:07:47 Ericka
All right. Let's try question.
14:08:47 yeahpresh!
ok
14:10:07 Ericka
I see that you received feedback for an item back in -February 2007-. Can you please provide a description of the item that you purchased?
14:10:17 yeahpresh!
Feb 2007?
14:10:30 Ericka
It falls under the category of Clothing, Shoes & Accessories:Men's Clothing:Pants and you purchased this item from ####.
14:12:59 yeahpresh!
Ah my gap cargo pants (trousers)
14:13:18 yeahpresh!
(Oddly enough, I'm wearing them now)
14:13:19 Ericka
That's it! Can you provide me with the description of this pants please?
14:13:29 yeahpresh!
Um, what do you mean?
14:13:52 Ericka
Really? Then you can provide me brief description of your pants.
14:13:58 yeahpresh!
What do you mean?
14:14:00 yeahpresh!
I don't understand
14:15:47 Ericka
I see.
14:15:59 yeahpresh!
So, what do you mean a brief description of my pants?
14:16:22 Ericka
Can you describe to me the fly of your pants?
14:16:45 yeahpresh!
Item number: #######
Item title: NWT GAP LOOSE FIT AVIATOR CARGO PANTS ####
Quantity Won: 1
Item Ended: Jan 25 2008 ######
14:16:53 yeahpresh!
That's from the email that was sent to me
14:17:47 Ericka
Since you are wearing this pants, can you describe to me the fly?
14:18:08 yeahpresh!
Er, they're button fly, look can you get straight to what the problem is with my account please?
14:20:53 yeahpresh!
Hello?
14:21:18 Ericka
I know you want to know what happened in your account but before we disclose information on what happened, we need to verify your information. I hope you understand. We are doing this to ensure that we are talking to the right account owner.
14:22:23 Ericka
Now to explain what happened, it appears your account was accessed by a third party, and used to list unauthorized auctions. In order to prevent any further fraudulent activity, we reset your password and temporarily placed a hold on your account. To be sure, did you list Classic Tall chestnut womens Ugg² Boots Size UK 6?
14:22:50 yeahpresh!
No
14:22:55 yeahpresh!
I certainly didn't
14:23:18 Ericka
Okay, we now know for certain that a third party gained access to your account and listed these items. The items have been ended and all fees are currently in the process of being reversed. You will be credited in full.
14:23:41 yeahpresh!
Ok, this has happened before fairly recently why is my account being accessed like this?
14:23:58 yeahpresh!
I have had an eBay account for a few years now, and it's only happened twice in recent months/weeks
14:24:58 Ericka
We cannot really tell exactly how your account may have been accessed, but here are some possible ways how this may have happened:
Your password has been guessed. If you use a fairly simple, single word, or easy-to-guess passwords, it's possible someone could have guessed it after repeated attempts. Or A family member or friend has responded to a spoof.
14:25:40 yeahpresh!
But nobody knows my password - neither have I ever given it out to anybody.
14:31:19 Ericka
What I need you to do is change the password for your EMAIL account xxxxxx - the password you use to log in and read your emails. Are you able to access that account while we're chatting?
14:31:37 yeahpresh!
Yes I am
14:31:56 yeahpresh!
Do you want me to change it?
14:32:22 yeahpresh!
I will probably change it later on
14:32:33 Ericka
Please do. Choose something made up of letters and numbers that you've not used before on any online account. Once you're ready, please type "done" into our chat--I don't need to know your new password.
14:32:59 yeahpresh!
done
14:33:39 Ericka
Okay. I am going to remove the restriction that has been placed on your account now. In just a few minutes, you will be able to use your account to list and bid again.
14:33:49 yeahpresh!
Ok, thanks very much
Click to expand...

Right, apart from this being one of my more strange conversations with a customer rep there are some weird things in it that have raised an eyebrow.

First she got the date wrong for the transaction she wanted details of by 9 months, I purchased them in Jan 2008, not Feb 2007, yet she was happy with the answer I gave her.

Second of all, she asked for other people's details and their email addresses?

Third, erm, that asking what type of fly I had was very weird. Fourth, she asked me to change my password then and there...

Has anybody had anything like this before? What on earth is going on lol?
 
I had this today. I needed to log in to my Mums account to relist something for her. Ended up having to speak to one of these people to get access from this computer.

Asked pretty much the same questions about additional accounts and I just reeled off the information about my own account and it was all hunky dory.
 
lol love it, can you describe your pants sir.

I feel a prank call coming on...

btw to answer your question about people getting into your account you were likely phished or you have a trojan.
 
The thing is, I only access my eBay account from one computer, all my security software is uptodate. I've never had this problem before, but have had it twice now in recent months.

I don't go onto any dodgy sites (seriously).
 
Greenlizard0 said:
The thing is, I only access my eBay account from one computer, all my security software is uptodate. I've never had this problem before, but have had it twice now in recent months.

I don't go onto any dodgy sites (seriously).
Click to expand...
The only time I saw it happen to someone I know was a lapse of judgement on his part with a phishing email, he wasn't running on all cylinders when he decided to click it!
 
Greenlizard0 said:
The thing is, I only access my eBay account from one computer, all my security software is uptodate. I've never had this problem before, but have had it twice now in recent months.

I don't go onto any dodgy sites (seriously).
Click to expand...

That doesn't in anyway suggest that you don't have something malicious on your machine.

If that is the only machine you have used (really?) then it stands to reason that someone a) guessed your password b) managed to acquire your password somewhere else (do you use the same password for anything else?) or c) you mentioned you used to live with people, did you use a different machine that could have been sold/passed on with passwords saved (most people save them through browser options).

I don't see anything dodgy with her questions, they were obviously to put you off guard slightly, they are testing your identity, not asking if you want fries with it.

I dont see how it can't be your machine if its been the same in the past few months.

her point about your email is also very valid, if they have access to it then changing a password for ebay, but not your email means they can see the notifications and use any linsk to reverse etc.
 
this makes no sense. To the OP, 'she' asked you all these questions - AND YOU ANSWERED HER?? Gonna give me your bank details and securtiy codes please, I need to 'check' a few things.
 
Greenlizard0 said:
Third, erm, that asking what type of fly I had was very weird.
Click to expand...

In order to check that you are the legitimate owner of the hacked account, she asked you to provide a partial description of an item of clothing you had purchased through that account, which you claimed to be wearing at the time. The item of clothing was notable for its button fly (zip flies are typical on cargo pants, so this was a distinguishing feature).

What's so weird about that?
 
Evangelion said:
In order to check that you are the legitimate owner of the hacked account, she asked you to provide a partial description of an item of clothing you had purchased through that account, which you claimed to be wearing at the time. The item of clothing was notable for its button fly (zip flies are typical on cargo pants, so this was a distinguishing feature).

What's so weird about that?
Click to expand...

Well I just thought it was an odd question, she could have asked for colour, size, price, details that are no longer easily available but for some reason she went for the fly.
 
Greenlizard0 said:
Well I just thought it was an odd question, she could have asked for colour, size, price, details that are no longer easily available but for some reason she went for the fly.
Click to expand...

All the things you suggested are in the description (which you can look up still?) maybe the fly detail wasn't and she had intimate knowledge of those sorts of trousers? (oh er!) :)
 
Ethics said:
All the things you suggested are in the description (which you can look up still?) maybe the fly detail wasn't and she had intimate knowledge of those sorts of trousers? (oh er!) :)
Click to expand...

Items of transactions older than 30 days get wiped from e.g. a person's trust.

The title was :

NWT GAP LOOSE FIT AVIATOR CARGO PANTS #### (The #'s aren't relevant details here).

:confused:

Daft woman.
 
Greenlizard0 said:
Items of transactions older than 30 days get wiped from e.g. a person's trust.

The title was :

NWT GAP LOOSE FIT AVIATOR CARGO PANTS #### (The #'s aren't relevant details here).
Click to expand...

To you and i, i'm sure they have records of transactions that go back a lot further, for desputes etc.

I agree it's a bit odd but then the question was supposed to be something only you could answer, which you did and she was satisfied?
 
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