By following one simple rule, you can avoid the danger of phishes or spoofs entirely. Though it may be tempting to deviate from this rule for the sake of what seems to be convenience, you must take the rule seriously and never violate it:
Never access eBay through your email. This means that not only should you never fill out a form that you receive in email that claims to be from eBay, it also means that you should never click on any link, button, or area of an email message with the intent of accessing the eBay website.
When you want to use eBay, always go directly to your web browser application (Internet Explorer, Firefox, or similar) and type "www.ebay.com" into the address bar. Logging in directly like this, you will still be able to obtain any real information and perform any and all necessary tasks that need to be taken care of vis-a-vis your eBay account.
Whether you've received a late notice for your seller fees or a question on one of your item listings, the answer is the same: don't click through from email, go to www.ebay.com, log in directly, and use My eBay to address the issue. If it really is an issue, you'll see it in My eBay when you log in.
And what if you get an email late fees notice or an email question about your listings, and you visit www.ebay.com, log into My eBay, and don't see the issue there? What then? Then congratulations! You will have just avoided being taken in by a phish or a spoof, potentially saving yourself a world of headache.
Check out these other pitfalls to be aware of as an eBay user!
