I couldn't believe it.  
 

I was just a few keystrokes away from losing everything.
 

You know...  
 

It was one of those things that only happens to others. 
 

I had heard the stories.  But now I'm a believer!
 

OK?  

Read this:

========
I received an email addressed to me from:

aw-confirm@ebay.com  <<=== looks real enough...

Dear eBay User,

During our regular update and verification of the accounts,
we couldn't verify your current information. Either your 
information has changed or it is incomplete.

Please update and verify your information by clicking 
'here' and signing into your account.  If the account 
information is not updated to current information within 
5 days then, your access to bid, buy or sell on eBay will 
be restricted.
 

Thank you,
 
Accounts Management  

Copyright 2003 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

As outlined in our User Agreement, eBay will periodically 
send you information about site changes and enhancements. 
Visit our 'Privacy Policy' and 'User Agreement' if you have 
any questions.

========

Sounds good, doesn't it?  Sounds like real eBay talk.

And it looked good, too.  It was HTML formatted complete
with the eBay logo and all of the normal looking links
at the bottom of the page.  Copyright and everything.

So I clicked 'here'.

It took me to a page that asked for EVERYTHING!

My eBay user ID.  My eBay password.  My PayPal password.

Name, address.  Credit card numbers.  Bank account numbers.

I typed in my eBay user ID.  I started to type in my eBay
password when I noticed the URL in my web browser window.

IT WAS NOT A NORMAL EBAY URL!

It was something like http://www.1234567.com/ebay.html

Yikes!  The identity thief almost ripped me off.

He could have emptied my PayPal account & my bank account.

He could have run up my credit card to the max and beyond.

But for the grace of God, I could have ended up in debtor's
prison!
 

So puh-leeze, be careful when anyone asks for your eBay
or Paypal account specifics.

I forwarded the email to eBay's fraud department.  Maybe
they can track down the varmint that almost got me...

Have a SAFE weekend...

Still shakin' in my boots,

JDB

P.S.  Some have asked "what" to call me...
You may call me John or JDB.  I make it a point 
to use "John David Bradshaw" because there is 
another "John Bradshaw" who is a famous writer/counsellor.
I'd hate to be confused with the likes of him!  ; )
 
 
 

-- 
John David Bradshaw-The After50 Online Marketing Coach
"Teaching old dogs new tricks...that make money online!"
http://www.makingmoneyonlineafter50.com/archive