Irritating new ebay security

[Vroomfunkel]

Just tried using the "Contact Ebay Member" function and got this message:


In our ongoing efforts to make eBay as safe as possible, we have added this security precaution to prevent inappropriate use of our site. This isn't your password and won't change your account information.
Please enter the numbers shown below and click Continue.

Along with one of those stretched pictures of some numbers. Except the picture took forever to load, and then when I typed the numbers in it said I was incorrect! Had to three of them before I got one that the numbers were actually discernable.

Hmph!

Vroomfunkel

[kevin_psx]

Sometimes the pic doesn't load at all - cause it's blocked!

So you can't log in!

sucks

[Chronodriftersx]

or worse it lets you contact like 5 members a day tops

[johno590]

I hate those pictures. I really don't understand what exactly they do. And you're right, most of the time I can't read what the letters are...

[kevin_psx]

The pictures stop Automated Computers from opening accounts.

[slapdash]

The pictures stop Automated Computers from opening accounts.

And blind people.

Although some sites (Amazon.com I think, for example) have alternate methods so visually disabled people can still verify things.

The funny thing is though, there are spams/phishing sites that have these but they are using a legitimate site's image because they are trying to get around the legitimate site's protection. In other words, they are tricking people into helping them get in!

[Chronodriftersx]

The pictures stop Automated Computers from opening accounts.

so the automated computers running automated accounts are automatingly contacting and spamming members through the contact an ebay member feature also?

[SoulBlazer]

Given how much spam e-mail I've gotten from 'EBay' recently, I would say YES.

[chaoticjelly]

Ive not encountered this yet.. is this on all accounts or just accounts under a certain level of feedback?

I have pretty high feedback, is that why I have not come across this?

[Chronodriftersx]

Given how much spam e-mail I've gotten from 'EBay' recently, I would say YES.

how would you say yes exactly? Email addresses can't be got from you on ebay unless you respond to a question and uncheck "hide my email address" or are people not reading this right.

[SoulBlazer]

I was saying that I strongly suspect that spammers and phisers are using the 'conatct a ebay seller' feature to send out fake e-mails to me and other ebay users because we recently sold and bought stuff. That can easily be done with automated computers and bots. So I don't see having to enter a 'picture word' as being that bad and maybe will stop the flow of 'fake ebay' e-mails I get on a regular basis. :/

[kevin_psx]

The pictures stop Automated Computers from opening accounts. so the automated computers running automated accounts are automatingly contacting and spamming members through the contact an ebay member feature also?

Bingo. Yahoomail has a similar feature to stop Automated Bots

[Vroomfunkel]

I was saying that I strongly suspect that spammers and phisers are using the 'conatct a ebay seller' feature to send out fake e-mails to me and other ebay users because we recently sold and bought stuff. That can easily be done with automated computers and bots. So I don't see having to enter a 'picture word' as being that bad and maybe will stop the flow of 'fake ebay' e-mails I get on a regular basis. :/

Didn't stop me from getting yet another one of these this evening.

In the new favourite format of :

"Why you bid on my item and not pay? If you don't respond now then I will report you to Safeharbor!"

With a fake-link "Click here to respond" button. Which I followed and entered "Screw you" as the username, and then forwarded the fake mail to ebay.

[Chronodriftersx]

I was saying that I strongly suspect that spammers and phisers are using the 'conatct a ebay seller' feature to

send out fake e-mails to me and other ebay users because we recently sold and bought stuff. That can easily be done with automated computers and bots. So I don't see having to enter a 'picture word' as being that bad and maybe will stop the flow of 'fake ebay' e-mails I get on a regular basis. :/

I know bots can be programmed to do all that but "what kind of fake emails are you talking about that you could possibly recieve in an EBAY FORMATTED question from another ebay user?

And Vroomfunkl how the heck did they send you a With a fake-link "Click here to respond" button through ebay's form? Wouldn't they already need your email address to send you something with images and code?

Ok the bot clicks contact ebay member and its picked you of all people to send its message to, whats it going to say that could possibly be misconstrued as anything other than illegitimate, and how would that be usefull since all it could send you is a text only message without code in ebays form since? Ebay doesn't give you someone's email address unless you give permission in your response, right. O.Or is this more complex?