Trusted Selling with Identity Confirmation - Progress Update
In April, eBay introduced trusted selling with identity confirmation which is designed to prevent fraudsters from gaining access to members’ accounts in order to commit fraud on eBay. It adds a new level of security by asking anyone listing an item from an “unknown” computer to confirm their identity.

The project was then implemented by noting the computers members typically use when buying and selling on eBay. Two months ago, we tested the identity confirmation process with a small population of users. The test was successful – we have seen a significant reduction in account takeovers, and it has been a smooth experience for users. We are now expanding this initiative to the entire Community, which should be completed by middle of November.

Going forward, if you list from a different computer which you usually use (such as a computer at a friend’s house or at the library), eBay will make an automated call to you to confirm if it is really you attempting to list an item. If you are not available to receive the call, you can confirm your identity via live chat with our Customer Support team.

Making Winning Bidder IDs Anonymous
Early last year, we began to anonymize bidder IDs on listings. This change was designed to protect bidders from fake Second Chance Offers and other malicious emails. It has been very successful, resulting in a 90% reduction in this type of fraud.

Today, however, the winning bidder’s ID is currently visible to everyone after the listing ends, and this continues to lead to fake checkout offers and other spam. Consequently, it also leads to unpaid items, as winning bidders who fall victim to these fake emails often send payment to someone other than the seller.

Based on the positive results we have seen by anonymizing bidder User IDs as well as our commitment to protecting all bidders from becoming targets for fraudsters, we have extended anonymized User IDs to winning bidders starting late October.

As always, the following information will still be accessible:

• Sellers will be able to view all bidder IDs on their listings.
• All members can click on the bidder ID and view the bidder’s Bid History page, which will detail the categories in which they have bid over the past 30 days.
• Feedback pages will show the same information as now – buyer and seller IDs, with comments visible to all.

Thank you for taking the time to read about these updates to improve safety on eBay and your continued support.