TradeMe Phishing Scam Continues

Press release – issued by the ScamBusters

Sunday 16th April 2006

TradeMe Phishing Scam Continues

Internet watchdog group ScamBusters today (Monday) issued an urgent warning for TradeMe members to be extra vigilant.

Spokesman Alf West said that despite TradeMe’s assurances on Thursday morning that it had shut the latest scammer down, last week’s phishing scam is still in operation and is still gathering login information from victims.

While TradeMe initially described the scam as the first targeting their site, they had to back down on Thursday and admit to five phishing scams in the past 3 months alone. “TradeMe have always been reluctant to publicly acknowledge scams on their site,” says West. “They’re fond of describing it as `the safest site in New Zealand.’ In reality, hundreds of kiwis are getting ripped off on TradeMe every year.”

ScamBusters has also uncovered two hacked accounts this weekend. Both are currently running scam auctions. “It’s impossible to tell if these hacks originated from last week’s phishing scam or an earlier one,” says West. “We’ve notified TradeMe but it seems that either the office is unmanned or nobody is paying attention. Both auctions are still running.”

“It’s shocking that TradeMe are still allowing these scams to happen. They need to be much more proactive in locking these people out.”

“A 24 hour business needs 24 hour security. Fairfax really do need to take this issue much more seriously than they do currently.”

With more than 2,000 registered members spread throughout New Zealand, the ScamBusters operate online forums where their members report and discuss scams in progress on TradeMe.

References:

“Trade Me initially said this was the first case of its kind this year but later admitted to a similar thing happening on five different occasions in the past three months.”
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411319/700573

Phishing scam page – BEWARE: DO NOT ENTER INFORMATION ON THIS SITE
http://wandokrc.or.kr/bbs/trademe.php

Hijacked account #1 – Nokia phone scam:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/0344-3357-3360-/auction-53871852.htm

Hijacked account #2 – Rado watch scam:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/0246-0486-0201-1516-/auction-53862705.htm

ENDS

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