Leading internet auction site eBay has banned cash
transactions from its listings to help combat the growth of scam
artists.
eBay has banned sellers from including cash-through-the-mail or
electronic cash transfers via Western Union or similar
companies.
UK police had previously encouraged eBay to ban electronic cash
payments via Western Union and other wire services to reduce the
threat posed by con artists.
eBay will continue to allow items to be paid for using cheques,
credit and debit cards, and its own PayPal electronic cash service
– which requires recipients to have their own verified PayPal
account.
Those listing items with cash payment options risk seeing their
listings taken down by the company, although cash-on-delivery
options are still allowed.
PayPal itself is targeted by phishers trying to steal the PayPal
log-in and personal details of account holders via e-mails linked
to fake PayPal sites.
eBay continually has to request the shutdown of servers hosting
PayPal fraud scams.