Can account be linked through similar listings?

[skilf]

I have some household goods that were up for auction on eBay but the listings got cancelled as my account had a selling limitation imposed

There is one part of the stealth guide that suggests having different pictures for listings across different accounts.

What's the deal here, if I put these listing back on a fresh account, could they seriously get linked??? Has that ever happened to anyone?

[GTB]

retake the pics

or alter the pics and remove exif data

[rsot]

Yes same pics will get you linked - evidence of this in other posts. Go fresh and strip.

[RimmingTon]

My opinion would be no, unless someone has specifically reported all your accounts using the same pics in relation to some other account that got taken down permenantly for some very serious violation.

[degsey69]

Each image carries a digital signature and is just a damming as the linked ip addresses.

If you have stored images that you want to use you can scrub them using software so it does not have the same digital signature.

[GreenBean]

Originally Posted by skilf

IWhat's the deal here, if I put these listing back on a fresh account, could they seriously get linked??? Has that ever happened to anyone?

On a manual review usage of the same images resulted in account suspension.

Avoid this. Pay attention to the advice in the replies.

Make sure to minimise 'links' in any way they might happen.

[degsey69]

I will expound on what data is contained in an image

There are 2 types

EXIF and XMP

If you use an iphone to take your images then your GPS coordinates are also imbedded in the data.

Easy way to deal with getting this info out of the image

The easiest way to remove EXIF and XMP Data from an image without involving third party software is to either do it in Photoshop or in Lightroom. In Photoshop, simply go to File->Save for Web & Devices and make sure that “Metadata” is set to “None”:
Once you save the file, all EXIF and XMP Data will be gone!

You can achieve a similar result in Lightroom by checking “Minimize Embedded Metadata” while exporting an image:

However, this only does what it says – it minimizes EXIF metadata and does not completely remove it. Most of the EXIF Data such as Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO and XMP Data will be gone, but some of it such as copyright info, your image dimensions and image thumbnail will be kept. I’m not sure why Adobe chose to do this, as I find this feature useless. It would have been much better if there was an option to completely remove metadata rather than to “minimize” it.

There is one more way to remove EXIF Data from files completely, but you would need to get Phil Harvey’s “ExifTool“. Download the executable file, then use the following command prompt:

exiftool -all= SourceFile.jpg

Obviously, replace SourceFile.jpg with the name of the JPEG file you want EXIF Data deleted from. All metadata, including the image thumbnail will be stripped from the file.

[Sandy D]

Yes, similar pictures can be found on a manual review.

I believe someone here posted they were getting reviewed for raising selling limits and got nailed because similar pictures were used on a banned account.

[skilf]

Ok so if I take new images with a samsung camera phone that should work fine? If I change the EXIF settings as described does it matter that the pics will still visually look the same?

Thanks for the advice guys

[vany]

why would the pics be visually the same, try different positioning & different back ground each time. there are many tricks of taking pics differently and of course change the EXIF.
Best of luck

[Sandy D]

Another little trick I do is have one of my kids take my pictures.

They will take is from a different level, angle etc.

A while back I noticed some of mine are similar so I started changing my angles and having my kids take some for me.

LOL- I have a photo location set up in my garage with drop down sheets of different color for each picture. I mark on each account what color background goes with what account so I never get them mixed up.

Yes, I have different color backgrounds and types of cloth behind my items for every account.

[GreenBean]

@Sandy

Same here. We 'share' making listings. ALWAYS different always.

Everything color-coded to the account. Have that extra column in excel for the paranoia

[degsey69]

I would not rely on the manual review as catching you on using the same images, ebay runs a program that looks for the same data in the image when the images show up those accounts are filtered into another program that checks other similarities. It done through a series of automated filtered searches and if one red flags it runs other searches to confirm a stealth account or not.

In other words the humans let the problem come to them in ebay rather than go looking for it.

The higher risk the items the more concentrated the searches in those categories, I managed to get a service agent at ebay to tell me that a low risk account that can be associated by the same ip address to a banned account can take up to 6 months to be recognized.

[Ayusaga]

Right. Their system is set up to where they let the system find the problems or redflag the account, THEN actual agents look into it manually. Just try to dodge the automatic flagging and you should be good.

[imjustme]

Just write your account name on top of the images, like "copyright mr. sunshine" or "copyright antiquescollector" and save them as completely different file names. The images will instantly be completely different, in EXIF data, in size, etc.

[stephanie1172]

Originally Posted by degsey69

I will expound on what data is contained in an image

There are 2 types

EXIF and XMP

If you use an iphone to take your images then your GPS coordinates are also imbedded in the data.

Easy way to deal with getting this info out of the image

The easiest way to remove EXIF and XMP Data from an image without involving third party software is to either do it in Photoshop or in Lightroom. In Photoshop, simply go to File->Save for Web & Devices and make sure that “Metadata” is set to “None”:
Once you save the file, all EXIF and XMP Data will be gone!

You can achieve a similar result in Lightroom by checking “Minimize Embedded Metadata” while exporting an image:

However, this only does what it says – it minimizes EXIF metadata and does not completely remove it. Most of the EXIF Data such as Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO and XMP Data will be gone, but some of it such as copyright info, your image dimensions and image thumbnail will be kept. I’m not sure why Adobe chose to do this, as I find this feature useless. It would have been much better if there was an option to completely remove metadata rather than to “minimize” it.

There is one more way to remove EXIF Data from files completely, but you would need to get Phil Harvey’s “ExifTool“. Download the executable file, then use the following command prompt:

exiftool -all= SourceFile.jpg

Obviously, replace SourceFile.jpg with the name of the JPEG file you want EXIF Data deleted from. All metadata, including the image thumbnail will be stripped from the file.

So what you are saying is only have to change the above info if using similar pics? So if Im using different pic for each acct. But using the same Samsung Phone and I then transfer pics to a hosting site and use the hosting site link or copy and paste from the host site. Am I ok? I dont have to change the Exif ect.??????? Thanks!!!!

[newjerseymax]

Use auctiva and upload the pics and you will be fine... All that scrubbing stuff is too much drama.

changing of colors is good idea if you do not want to re-take pics. Cropping them also works pretty good.

[MM78]

Scrubbing the images only takes a minute or two, you can batch load all the files to be scrubbed so essentially it's not a big deal. You can always take 3-5 or how ever many stealth accounts you have and separate them into different folders with the stealth names so you don't get confused.

[degsey69]

With the stuff I sell (which is new) I use public domain pictures such as found on google images these will not get associated with the same image that is used on another account as most of the other sellers are using these images. What you do not do is use the same images stored in your pictures folder unless you scrub them.

[Callidus]

All I do is get the camera take the picture on a different background with the item at a different angle and it will be fine doing it like that. Just remember to remove the exif data. I think GTB put a good post on here that I followed to remove it and touch wood not had any issues

[GTB]

ExifCleaner - Download.com

[skilf]

Any thoughts on html images withing the item description section?