By loading the auction into our browsers, with Javascript and Flash enabled, AuctionBytes was able to see the private information for our account on a separate website page set up by Falle-Internet.de. The information included IP, Name, address, eBay User ID, email address, Bank Routing number, the last 4 digits of our bank account number, the last four numbers of our credit card, and the credit card expiration date. The page also showed auctions that were being watched, as well as saved searches and favorite sellers.

eBay, of course, said they had tools in place to stop such activity…which didn’t stop Falle-Internet.de from proving that the exploit works with a live auction.

The Bulletin originally broke the story of the holiday sales Mar. 8.

GOLD Coasters are among about 4000 people who have paid for Queensland holidays that did not exist in a year-long scam that has netted a Melbourne man about $1 million.

Unsuspecting would-be holidaymakers went on the eBay auction website and connected with seller beachesaustralia — operated by a Robert Kobis who listed his business as Cyber Blue Booking Agency — and paid between $125 and $350 for three, five and seven-night holidays in Queensland resorts including ones on the Gold Coast.

This is the first time I remember seeing eBay promise to make thousands of customers whole due to fraud committed on the site (not to say it hasn’t happened before, but it’s the only time I know of). Usually fraud is dealt with on a case by case basis. Anyone remember similar large batch refund promises?

From the Pittsburg Business Times:

After 46 years of collecting and 36 years of running Record-Rama, Mr. Mawhinney’s collection includes more than 200,000 vinyl 45s, 300,000 compact discs and a total of more than 2 million recordings.

Unfortunately for Mawhinney, there are now multiple reports that the winning bidder was fraudulent. Mawhinney sounds like a hell of a character and you’ll be doing yourself a favor be reading the PBT profile of him.

That brings us to this copycat auction, I spotted last night.

Screen capture of eBay item number 170196495975.

Screen capture of eBay item number 170196495975.

Check out the seller’s feedback in the pic to the right. Yep, “shanky100kml” has a -1 feedback rating and a one million dollar auction up. The auction has no pictures and only one line of text: “10 milk crates of single 12 inch records back in the day. Records are in mint condition. Records are original.”

Feel like dropping a cool million for that?

Kansas City police and the FBI raided multiple Kansas City locations to bust up a multi-million dollar stolen property ring Monday, according to KCTV5 in Kansas City.

The story was surprisingly solid for a KC television story, right up until the reporter, Shaun Broyls, felt the need to throw in some sensational editorializing:

Here’s the interesting thing about that, if you’ve ever bought anything on an online service like eBay, you might be in possession of stolen property. Because police say that after the thieves stole the property, they turned right around and pitched it on eBay.

So, you don’t know what you’ve got if you’ve bought something on eBay. – [Transcribed from KCTV5 video - ed]

Thank you Shaun. Never mind the millions of law-abiding eBay members on eBay. No, screw those people. Every purchase could put stolen goods in your hands! Danger, Will Robinson, danger! What’s wrong with simply stating the facts? “Police say eBay was used to sell the alleged stolen property.” Simple, direct, and lets the viewers draw their own conclusions. KMBC-TV managed to cover it without the dire warning.

Feel free to contact KCTV5 at kctv5@kctv5.com or the reporter, Shaun Broyls at…hmmm, he’s not listed as a staff reporter on the site. Just make sure to mention him in the email to the station.

Thanks to a reader for the tip on this one.