Many customer details from the online auction site eBay have been exchanged on a Russian website for a “cheap” price. After acquiring usernames and passwords, scammers can list various items for sale, collect payments, but the buyers will never receive their goods.
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Screenshot of the listings on the Russian website. |
Sunbelt Software, a security company based in the United States, discovered this site on March 21 and immediately notified eBay. A spokesperson for the online auction platform stated that they have collaborated with a local Internet service provider to shut down the website. However, she did not disclose how many accounts were being sold or which customers had become victims. The site also provided some information related to the online payment system PayPal.
The website was selling accounts that had not been logged into frequently, meaning users would not be able to quickly detect any unusual activities in their transactions. The price of the accounts ranged from $5 to $25. A check of the WHOIS database revealed that the website was registered on December 2, 2005, and is believed to belong to a company in Cypress, California, USA.
Alex Eckelberry, President of Sunbelt, noted that the website likely collected data through phishing attacks or by using Trojan software equipped with keylogging capabilities. He also affirmed that the sale of such information has become relatively common.
T.N.
