Large eBay malvertising campaign leads to scams

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Large eBay malvertising campaign leads to scams

Victims who clicked the ad were redirected to bogus websites prompting them to call for assistance, leading them straight into the scammer’s den.

A search for ‘ebay phone number‘ or ‘ebay customer service‘ using Google Chrome returned several ads that were entirely fraudulent. Some of the ads even use eBay’s brand name, logo and website. While Google has strict rules about who may be allowed to do this (i.e. the owner, affiliates), scammers are able to still “comply” with the rule and yet be total crooks.

All they need to do is ensure the final URL (website address) once you click the ad is the same domain or is a subdomain that matches the one shown in the ad. In some of the ads they are using developer.ebay.com. (part of eBay’s Developers Program Search) which can technically be claimed as belonging to ebay.com. however the destination URL (website address) is not what you would expect. It shows a result that pretends to show eBay’s customer service phone number, however it is a fake number for ebay.

The other ads redirect to fake websites or pages claiming to be eBay customer service. Once again, scammers make it clear and obvious that users should call the phone number displayed on screen. The tried and tested “tech support scam” is one of the most costly types of crime.

From call centres mostly located overseas, young people with a broken English accent will attempt to trick victims into giving them access to their computer or phone. The end goal is to steal as much money as they can, by requesting gift cards or by taking over people’s own bank accounts.

It is important to always double check before calling any phone number, especially if it came from an ad or an unsolicited email. If in doubt, always visit the source, i.e. ebay.com to access support via live chat or get their official number.

Remember - always watch for scams!