An new way eBay tracks you!!!

[fincustomer]

Here is what I found when listing items on multiple accounts. Then checked it again, with a same result. Suspension. This happened with 8 accounts of 12. All suspended after listing was gone for a while, some after payment was received.

Some facts:
- I used whole new fully stealth ID. And I mean fully, IP and everything.
- I listed whole different products in different category's, not same listing twice, so no same pictures etc.
- I added images thru imagehosting website, no mac etc. tracking could be done.
- I erased all metadata from pictures.
- I always erased all history, cookies etc. and changed my IP after I signed out from account.

Fact is that nothing was same. Half of accounts were +1month or more old, half was new.

So why my accounts were suspended?

Only thing I thought could be the reason after getting few suspensions was that I tracked the prices and progress of auctions thru link from my listing confirmation email or thru link that is added when you get a "user asking question" email. I newer logged to account when checking the items. After checking those listings thru those link's that directs you to the listing page, I logged to one account that was ended and all those accounts I made to list items that I checked thru email's link, got suspended, including the account I logged into.
Suspension for those four accounts were about that eBay wasn't sure of my ID and needed proof of that.

Simply I did this:
Listed with four accounts, erased all tracking data including changing IP after logout, tracked those items thru eBay's message where was link to listing page. After one ended, logged into account and few moments later got all four accounts suspended.

WHAT LINKED THOSE ACCOUNTS?
The fift IP that I was using when checking those items thru link on my email messages from eBay that I also used when logging into one of the accounts.

Did a recheck. Listed with three accounts. Let one end and got money from the first. Tracked thru links, but before logging to any account, changed IP. That one was OK. After second ended, checked both listings from emails links, and logged on one account, using same IP when checking and logging. Got suspensions after a while. Linked those accounts because of the IP I used to check items and after logging to that other account. Then listed with five stealth ID. Two are still going on. Three are ended and money gotten. Two of them intact.

With one I did final test;

I checked already ended and suspended accounts listing using unique IP thru the link on listing confirmation email. Then checked this accounts ended listing with the link of listing ended and item sold email and then logged in to that account. Got suspended after while.

So eBay now has some kind of new tracking software that is bundled somehow on the links address that comes in every email message that is send regarding that listing; listing confirmation, user question confimration and ending confimation.

If you use those links, software is recording all IP's used to go to listings page thru those links, and it doesn't matter if you check those items thru those links using only one IP (you don't get suspended like seen above), but if your IP is linked to one listing and you log on to different account using that IP, those both get suspended.

This is not a fact that eBay does have this kind of tracking in use, but it's a pritty good proof that they could have it. Hopefully this helps to people and hopefully you do understand this message how I ment it, even though my Eglish is little "OFF".

So for end I add that if I logged into account, I always cleared all tracking and changed IP. Same IP was newer used to log into two different accounts. Just added this because I don't want to hear about that kind of mistake.

[captainjack1980]

The moral of this story is.... use a seperate Windows (or mac) user account for each set of Ebay/PP accounts.

And if you have all your emails forwarded to one account you need to ensure images are blocked and don't follow any links or reply to Ebay/PP emails unless in the correct user account.

CaptainJack

[fincustomer]

Originally Posted by captainjack1980

The moral of this story is.... use a seperate Windows (or mac) user account for each set of Ebay/PP accounts.

And if you have all your emails forwarded to one account you need to ensure images are blocked and don't follow any links or reply to Ebay/PP emails unless in the correct user account.


CaptainJack

And the thing in here is that it doesn't matter. I use separate win accounts for each account. That doesn't change my IP, but restarting my router.
And by meaning stealth I also mean using different google, yahoo or hotmail email for every account. Not linked to my outlook.

Used different win user account to read emails also.

So it's about email's ebay mail's listing link tracking.

[aking]

You are simply doing something wrong. Many of us have multiple accounts with no issues. I suggest reading the Stealth Book and follow the steps.

Do not use any links sent my ebay. You should not need to use them anyway. Its very simple, all information and account accessing should be done in that particular user account with a unique IP address.

[doughboykilla]

I never had this problem eather i also never check any messagess on ebay if the buyer emails me a message and refuses to show his email so when i click rply and it say use the yellow button then it gose unanswared. When i want to look at my own auctins do search by seller u dont even have to be logged in.

and i also used outlook like the past 8 years and never got linked outlook dosent show images unless u allow it.

[fincustomer]

Originally Posted by aking

You are simply doing something wrong. Many of us have multiple accounts with no issues. I suggest reading the Stealth Book and follow the steps.

Do not use any links sent my ebay. You should not need to use them anyway. Its very simple, all information and account accessing should be done in that particular user account with a unique IP address.

I have read the Stealth Book. There is no mention about this type of tracking and now I'm telling other users about it.

I know I did wrong, this is not why so? -thread, this is because of -thread.

I know many users are doing this same thing. Why, because it's fastest way to check your listing thru emails links because you then don't have to log into your account to see your listing.

So if you klick the link on your email from Ebay, whether it is an listing confirmation, listing ending or user question email, eBay directs you to your listing page but before that they store IP you'r using. It doesn't matter if you use different win account and erase all other data, ff you use that same IP to log in to any other account than account used to that previous listing, eBay links these two accounts.

So, what I'm trying to say, DON'T DO THIS ANYMORE IF YOU WERE DOING IT.

[Lyda]

Now, if you have different user accounts, sign on and check those email only from inside Ebay there, and also check those using dial up that gives you different IP every time, no way you can be linked.

[fincustomer]

Originally Posted by Lyda

Now, if you have different user accounts, sign on and check those email only from inside Ebay there, and also check those using dial up that gives you different IP every time, no way you can be linked.

This is true, but you have to use dial up. That's the downside. It's so lowspeed and nineties..

[Lyda]

Just for checking Ebay emails? ..and being safe for not losing accounts due to linkage? I think little extra work and being careful pays off in a long run...You don't need to list via dial up which would be indeed time consuming, just check and answer your emails. That seems to be your problem.

[fincustomer]

To clear out what I mean, this is the email's link I mean.

And all professional stealth users, this is ALSO meant to new stealth users who think this is not a big of a deal and don't know what they are doing wrong with eBay linking multiple accounts.

And I don't know if they have always had this system. This started now after new year.

[Lyda]

To be safe, you never, ever click on this link if you are stealth. Some advise not to even open those Ebay emails, never-the-less clicking on the pictures or links ebay sends. If and when you get one of this, you go to: window user, Ebay account and than read what the email is all about and answer it if you need to. All this on dial up and be safe, so you won't be losing your accounts.

[aking]

Originally Posted by fincustomer

So if you klick the link on your email from Ebay, whether it is an listing confirmation, listing ending or user question email, eBay directs you to your listing page but before that they store IP you'r using. It doesn't matter if you use different win account and erase all other data, ff you use that same IP to log in to any other account than account used to that previous listing, eBay links these two accounts.

So, what I'm trying to say, DON'T DO THIS ANYMORE IF YOU WERE DOING IT.

Ebay cannot track you if you click the link to see your listings UNLESS you are logged in. They cannot track you if your not logged in. I click those links all the time when I'm at work to check my bid wars. But eBay cannot see my b/c I'm not logged in.


Now...this MAY happen if you click "keep my signed in for today" when you log into ebay, and when you click the link it auto matically logs you in. THEN ebay sees eveything b/c your logged in. And if you are in the wrong user name checking your email of another ebay account and you hit that link, your linked!!

[aking]

Originally Posted by fincustomer

To clear out what I mean, this is the email's link I mean.

And all professional stealth users, this is ALSO meant to new stealth users who think this is not a big of a deal and don't know what they are doing wrong with eBay linking multiple accounts.

And I don't know if they have always had this system. This started now after new year.

fin, i know exactly what link you are referring to. Buy my question to you is, why should you even need to click on that link? Clicking links for ebay messages is a NONO, Unless you are NOT logged in.

[captainjack1980]

Well there is not much point in using seperate user accounts if you are going to use the same IP across accounts.... it really goes without saying that you don't!

And half the point of seperate user accounts is you don't have to clear all your cookies/flash etc.

CaptainJack

[Lyda]

True, that was my experience also. If I would have clicked on the picture link to answer email,I would immediate get Ebay sign-in screen. I never had a problem, because of course I would not sign in this way. Still, I am so paranoid I don't even click ever on anything they send unless I am logged in properly.

[fincustomer]

Originally Posted by aking

fin, i know exactly what link you are referring to. Buy my question to you is, why should you even need to click on that link? Clicking links for ebay messages is a NONO, Unless you are NOT logged in.

Only because if you have something like twenty accounts, it's faster to check how listing are doing and if you have questions by checking your emails.

Then you don't have to log in to each eBay account just to see that price have staid the same for few hours now. It's a bit faster. But now you can't do it anymore. Or don't log into any accounts of you check your items thru those links. First erase all data and change IP.

And again, I know new stealth users may think this is OK and fast to do, then you don't have to reset everything just to see how listings are doing, but like said, this is NONO.

Again, that picture was for people who didn't fully understand the link I ment. I wasn't pointing finger to you dear Aking.

[fincustomer]

Originally Posted by captainjack1980

Well there is not much point in using seperate user accounts if you are going to use the same IP across accounts.... it really goes without saying that you don't!

And half the point of seperate user accounts is you don't have to clear all your cookies/flash etc.

CaptainJack

Like told, I newer have logged in on two different accounts using same IP.

[captainjack1980]

Faster indeed but as you have discovered you will go very quickly for having 20 accounts to 0 accounts

CaptainJack

[Lyda]

Originally Posted by captainjack1980

Well there is not much point in using seperate user accounts if you are going to use the same IP across accounts.... it really goes without saying that you don't!

And half the point of seperate user accounts is you don't have to clear all your cookies/flash etc.

CaptainJack

Yea, not having to have to clear cookies every time is huge advantage and makes up for those times of slow connection whe answering emails...

[captainjack1980]

You may not have shared IPs between user accounts but you have shared a common IP across the suspended Ebay accounts which amounts to the same thing.

CaptainJack

[fincustomer]

Originally Posted by Lyda

True, that was my experience also. If I would have clicked on the picture link to answer email,I would immediate get Ebay sign-in screen. I never had a problem, because of course I would not sign in this way. Still, I am so paranoid I don't even click ever on anything they send unless I am logged in properly.

You can also reply to questions by your email accounts reply -button. If user who asks question has not hided hes email address, you can reply directly to hes email address by clicking your email providers reply -button. That mail doesn't go thru eBay.

If the email address where that question mail came is something like xxx@members.ebay.xx then user has hidden hes address and your reply don't contact him. If sender is something like xxx@hotmail.com, then you can reply to him derectly without eBay knowing it.

[aking]

Originally Posted by fincustomer

Then you don't have to log in to each eBay account just to see that price have staid the same for few hours now. It's a bit faster. But now you can't do it anymore.

Not understanding why you say you cant do this. I am actually doing this as we speak. I have auctions ending on 2 accounts today. I would like to see how my listings are doing. Ok, easy. I log into that accounts gmail account, I open the "Your listing is confirmed" email for my inbox. I hit the link in the email, it takes me to my item. I can see my bid war.

I've always done this. HOWEVER, I ONLY do this when I'm NOT logged on and from a different laptop 20 miles away from home.

Key to keeping stealth accounts:
1) Separate user accounts per ebay/paypal account (keep cookies separate)
2) Unique IP address for ebay account at login

No matter if you have 2 or 20 accounts, you need to stick to the rules or as stated above, you will go from 20 to 0 really fast.