Confusing messages

[Former_Member]

Hi my name is Laura. I have received a lot of emails in my Etsy store to confirm my details because my store look suspicious, this is writing in the messages. I didn't receive messages from Etsy. Just a lot of messages special when I post a new product. My concern is that all these messages are spam. How I can identify which messages are spam and which one is real from Etsy. Many Thanks Laura

[PillowDetails]

@Former_Member   I'm glad you are suspicious - the scammers seem to be targeting new Sellers.

First of all, ETSY already has your email - this is how they attempt to take you OFF of Etsy to perpetuate their scams.

How to tell if a message is really from Etsy?

On desktop, there is a From Etsy section, and underneath legit messages from Etsy Support is a banner/lozenge that says "From Etsy" - right now it looks orange-ish on desktop, and yellow on the app - but that can change in the future.

Any other message from someone posing as an Etsy employee or staff should be marked as spam.

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

First of all, when they tell you that your shop is suspended - GO LOOK AND SEE IF IT REALLY IS - You will see a banner on your shop if it is really suspended.  Then you deal with Etsy.  As far as I can determine, the spammers CANNOT actually suspend your account - only Etsy can.

When a message tells you that you are leaving the Etsy site - Spam it

Question - Question - Question - first of all don't click on any links in messages - if you do and they want your email address, spam it immediately.  If you send your email and you get a request for any financial information, spam immediately.  Change your email password - Just remember that you don't have to have any money in your accounts in order to receive money - if you fall for the scam and your bank tries to block it - trust your bank!!!

Use good old common sense - if it doesn't look right, it probably isn't.  Question, question, question.  This cannot be stressed too much.

[tomahexe]

The same happens to me, when I just added new Listings. It's 100% Scam, i already almost gave them all money from my bank account. Good that I didn't push the final confirmation button, otherwise I would loose all my money. My bank had to block my card for the security reasons, because they noticed fraud transaction

[vintageNCtreasures]

Lot of helpful information on the forums and help pages about ALL these SCAMS!!

https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/1087958808206

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/Protect-Your-Account-From-Scammers/m-p/143158945#M1882

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/New-From-Etsy-section-in-Messages/m-p/143722497

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Managing-Your-Shop/How-to-Spot-a-Scam-No-a-Buyer-Doesn-t-Need-Your-Ema...

[ALittleNoteFrom]

Hi everyone,

I've just started a new shop and posted my first listings yesterday. I immediately received 6 scam messages purporting to be from Etsy Support, Tech, and Etsy Verify all asking that I verify my shop, click a link to do so etc. And some saying my shop had been suspended etc. I stupidly clicked a link in the first one as the email looked legit, thank fully my malware program blocked it.

Today I've added another listing and immediately received another two scam messages. I've put them all in the spam folder, but is there no way to report them to Etsy, or do they automatically look at all emails added to the spam folder? If not, what are they doing about these people?

It seems rather stupid to me that people who sign up with names like 'verify' and 'tech support' aren't rooted out at the sign up process. And surely Etsy can find anyone who is using an Etsy image as their profile image and boot them off the site straight away??

I am seriously rethinking opening a shop here as it seems the scammers have the ability to know exactly when you post a new listing and Etsy aren't doing anything to stop them.

[AnniebelloPaper]

@ALittleNoteFrom marking the message as spam will alert Etsy to the problem. They close down these scam accounts as fast as they can find them but sadly, it's a world-wide problem. It's not just here.

Those 'etsy' names are the display names people can choose as all accounts are given random letter/number usernames.

We just have to be super aware. Check the forums regularly ...