CANADA STOLEN COMPUTERS OFTEN CAN BE FOUND ON EBAY Technology - canada.comHad something stolen? Check for it on eBay
Thieves increasingly prefer online fencing, since it gives them a wider profit margin

CHAD SKELTON
CanWest News Service


Thursday, October 13, 2005
Third in a series on how the computer is changing crime.

When someone calls this city's police to report they've had something stolen - either in a home break-in or a vehicle smash-and-grab - Sgt. Doug Fisher gives out the same piece of advice, again and again:

"Look for your item on eBay."

Fisher says online auction sites are an increasingly popular way to offload stolen goods. EBay is just one of many such sites - others include Yahoo and Craigslist - but it is the most popular.

Fisher's unit receives an average of three or four complaints a month from residents who spot their stolen property on eBay.

And the phenomenon is nationwide. In 2003, a former high school principal from Regina was arrested for listing more than 9,000 stolen items on eBay.

That same year, Calgary police recovered a pair of stolen replica Grey Cup rings on the site.

And in 2004, police in Toronto cracked a sophisticated ring at Pearson airport that stole millions of dollars worth of goods from its cargo bays - including fine wines and computers - then put them up for sale on eBay.

Fisher said such sites are attractive to thieves, because they allow them to make more from stolen goods than they would by bringing them to a typical fence.

"Whatever you take to a pawn shop, you're going to get four or five cents on the dollar (and) they sell it at 60 cents on the dollar," he said. "But if you have the wherewithal to sell the item yourself, you'll get the 60 cents on a dollar."

When police locate a stolen item online, tracking down the seller isn't easy. Fisher said eBay co-operates by pulling down suspect listings when notified, and turning over the names of shady sellers without requiring a warrant. But he added it often takes the company 10 to 20 days before they respond to his requests.

However, eBay spokesperson Hani Durzy says in some cases the company's fraud team provides information to police within hours.

Considering that 5 million new listings go up on the site every day, confirmed cases of fraud - including sale of stolen property - make up less than 0.01 per cent of all sales, he said.

Vancouver Sun

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Protect yourself from cybercrime

There are many different ways to become a victim of online crime - from having your credit card number stolen to having your computer taken over by hackers. Here are some tips on how to avoid becoming a victim:

Do not respond to "phishing" emails that appear to be from your bank, credit card company or an online retailer asking you to visit a website to update your information. Such emails often threaten that your account will be shut down, or some other dire result, if you don't update your information immediately.

Never click on a link in such an email. Such links can send you to sites that look legitimate but aren't. If you want to visit a bank's website, type it into your Internet browser yourself.

If you're not sure about an email's legitimacy, contact the company in question directly - either by phone, or by using an e-mail address on the company's website.

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