PUBLIC MARKS with tags scams & internet-www

A Canton, NC man learned about eBay scams the hard way. He was the victim of a clever scam carried out via email that ended up costing him $5000. After bidding unsucessfully on a 1968 Mustang via the legitimate eBay site, he was contacted by someone masquerading as the seller, and given a 'second chance' to take possession of the car. The email pointed to a fake eBay site that spoofed the original.

The real IRS website is www.irs.gov. If you need to verify a claim or check information, visit the website by opening your browser and typing in the address. Don't click a link in email claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service.

To check your PayPal account safely, visit the PayPal site by opening your web browser and typing in the link (www.paypal.com) - not by clicking a link in an email. Once on the real PayPal site, you can then login normally and click the "History" tab to view any transactions made on your account. If you do find a fraudulent charge, you can report it to PayPal by clicking on the "Resolutions Dispute" tab and filing a claim.

Phishing scams are disguised as correspondence from valid financial or eCommerce providers. The email typically uses fear tactics in an effort to entice the intended victim into visiting a fraudulent website and entering sensitive financial details. The information collected is surreptitiously sent to the attacker who then uses it to engage in credit card and bank fraud - or outright identity theft.