eBay Forcing User ID

shaun_from_Africa

redcard wrote: »

So, I attemped to create a new account, using the name Paul Smith.

The suggested user ID was 'paulstuqyqlb87'

I have absolutely no idea how someone would identify that as being Paul Smith.

You then go to your profile and change it. I guess the OP just doesn't like this extra step.

But this doesn't appear to be what happened when the OP registered on ebay.
They stated that the id they were given was their full name which was not mixed up in any way whatsoever.
It would be the same as the id you were given with your new account being paulsmith and not paulstuqyqlb87

I am more concerned that specifically I have a unique name, so specifically the eBay system did not create a random mixed up user ID, but instead simply created a username and used my full name, with no numbers or even "_2014" (not that this would make any difference in this case), just my name, which though it may be a unique situation,

It sounds like an ebay glitch as I've never heard of this happening before.

giantmutantbroccoli

I've tested this out, and found that if you enter an unusual name the username generated is quite close to to the full name, so I'm guessing if you have a more popular name you're more likely to get a username with random letters in it.
I'm surprised more people don't have a problem with this to be honest. When you look at someone's ebay member page you can see a history of what they've bought. Even if you ignore the safety issues that have already been raised, that's still information you might not want to be publicly attached to. People buy and sell all kinds of things on ebay, from security systems to expensive jewellery to meducal equipment. Doesn't it just make life easier for a thief if he can do a search for something expensive and find (or extrapolate) the real name of someone who buys a lot of them? You'd be upset if ebay were selling your name and purchase history to a marketing company, because that information is yours to do with as you (not ebay) want.

I'm a person with an unusual name, and like many people I use that name in my working life. While I'm happy for the public to know what I do for a living, I don't really want anybody who looks me up to see what trashy scifi books I'm buying.

RFW

unreal2014 wrote: »

The fact remains that the given name, given and not suggested, which holds your person details, is still issued to you and permanent on your account for the world to see, if your name is John Smith this is fine, if it is unique then your name won't be changed once you click submit and it will remain on your history id forever unless you create a new account under a false name and amend it once they have issued your user ID.

You may very well have a valid point, although I doubt where anyone could get harmed by having their real name as a user id, even if you don't change it. If you're bidding on something your id is masked anyway.
The fact is you'll struggle to get any support for a few reasons, most people don't have unique names that would be generated into a user id, there aren't many new people signing up to Ebay and within that small set that have a unique name and are opening an Ebay account most of them won't be bothered to get a user id that is their name.
My main Ebay account has my first user id (it's only had two) that I used when I opened the account about 14 years ago, it is pretty much my name, I've never considered trying to get it removed.

The best option for OP is to use Twitter or Facebook or the Ebay message boards to see if someone with a bit of clout can get it changed for you. Finding anyone on Ebay customer support to be bothered about something that they have probably never had a complaint about is nigh in impossible.

DaveTheMus

don't feed the troll............

Flyonthewall

giantmutantbroccoli wrote: »

I've tested this out, and found that if you enter an unusual name the username generated is quite close to to the full name, so I'm guessing if you have a more popular name you're more likely to get a username with random letters in it.

Ebay must be wondering what's up with so many users creating new accounts over the last few days, they must be getting more sign ups than normal lol.

I'm surprised more people don't have a problem with this to be honest. When you look at someone's ebay member page you can see a history of what they've bought. Even if you ignore the safety issues that have already been raised, that's still information you might not want to be publicly attached to. People buy and sell all kinds of things on ebay, from security systems to expensive jewellery to meducal equipment. Doesn't it just make life easier for a thief if he can do a search for something expensive and find (or extrapolate) the real name of someone who buys a lot of them? You'd be upset if ebay were selling your name and purchase history to a marketing company, because that information is yours to do with as you (not ebay) want.

I'm a person with an unusual name, and like many people I use that name in my working life. While I'm happy for the public to know what I do for a living, I don't really want anybody who looks me up to see what trashy scifi books I'm buying.

A while ago there was a news story about a woman stealing supplies from the hospital and selling them on ebay. Sure it's not the first case like this either. Now if their real names were part of their username perhaps they'd have been caught much sooner and maybe that would stop others doing the same.

I can't imagine most thieves would go through the hassle of searching ebay stuff and using peoples username to get their name and steal from them. They can buy from the seller and get all their details and steal from them anyway and that's far easier (expensive items or not, no doubt they can scam a refund too - especially if they steal the stock before it can be sent).

Besides thieves with some computer skills can sit outside some houses, find an unprotected wi-fi connection, see what the people are doing and steal stuff that way. Plus being outside houses, if people leave they can just break in. Or they can sit in a public place with wi-fi and do the same.

Having your name as a username won't make any difference.

As for others knowing what you bought, well close family and friends may well know your username anyway and as for the rest well they may not even realise you can search for usernames.

For most people their username probably won't even look much like their real name and if they change it then there's no problem anyway. Plus people you know won't know how long you've been on ebay to know whether you got to decide your username or whether it was picked for you.

So basically, chances are no one is going to be able to find you anyway and thieves can still very easily steal from you.

unreal2014

giantmutantbroccoli wrote: »

I've tested this out, and found that if you enter an unusual name the username generated is quite close to to the full name, so I'm guessing if you have a more popular name you're more likely to get a username with random letters in it.
I'm surprised more people don't have a problem with this to be honest. When you look at someone's ebay member page you can see a history of what they've bought. Even if you ignore the safety issues that have already been raised, that's still information you might not want to be publicly attached to. People buy and sell all kinds of things on ebay, from security systems to expensive jewellery to meducal equipment. Doesn't it just make life easier for a thief if he can do a search for something expensive and find (or extrapolate) the real name of someone who buys a lot of them? You'd be upset if ebay were selling your name and purchase history to a marketing company, because that information is yours to do with as you (not ebay) want.

I'm a person with an unusual name, and like many people I use that name in my working life. While I'm happy for the public to know what I do for a living, I don't really want anybody who looks me up to see what trashy scifi books I'm buying.

This is the entire point, thank you for understanding and perhaps explaining easier than I may have done in the first place. It seems I made it sound too complicated, though it is a complicated matter to explain fully.

RFW wrote: »

You may very well have a valid point, although I doubt where anyone could get harmed by having their real name as a user id, even if you don't change it. If you're bidding on something your id is masked anyway.
The fact is you'll struggle to get any support for a few reasons, most people don't have unique names that would be generated into a user id, there aren't many new people signing up to Ebay and within that small set that have a unique name and are opening an Ebay account most of them won't be bothered to get a user id that is their name.
My main Ebay account has my first user id (it's only had two) that I used when I opened the account about 14 years ago, it is pretty much my name, I've never considered trying to get it removed.

The best option for OP is to use Twitter or Facebook or the Ebay message boards to see if someone with a bit of clout can get it changed for you. Finding anyone on Ebay customer support to be bothered about something that they have probably never had a complaint about is nigh in impossible.

If you've been the target of hate crime or bullying, perhaps you have a crazy ex partner who simply wants to do you harm, these people will do anything they can to make your life a living hell, and when necessary you will find people with a chip on their shoulder will do anything to find you and furthermore make your life hell in any form possible, heaven forbid they should find your personal details by simply creating an account and bidding on something and easily obtaining your address.

Mrs. Sparrow has the correct train of thought. An extreme suggestion has been to talk to the police, whilst this sounds pathetic to police since in this day and age they do not have the power or will not act unless you have been cut up into little pieces or put into intensive care, by which time it would have been too late. Everyone is entitled to their anonymity and ebay have created a loophole if you will. This being in the extreme case.

The phrase prevention is better than cure comes to mind and if this small thread helps one person in some way down the line then it will be worth while.

Flyonthewall wrote: »

Ebay must be wondering what's up with so many users creating new accounts over the last few days, they must be getting more sign ups than normal lol.

A while ago there was a news story about a woman stealing supplies from the hospital and selling them on ebay. Sure it's not the first case like this either. Now if their real names were part of their username perhaps they'd have been caught much sooner and maybe that would stop others doing the same.

I can't imagine most thieves would go through the hassle of searching ebay stuff and using peoples username to get their name and steal from them. They can buy from the seller and get all their details and steal from them anyway and that's far easier (expensive items or not, no doubt they can scam a refund too - especially if they steal the stock before it can be sent).

Besides thieves with some computer skills can sit outside some houses, find an unprotected wi-fi connection, see what the people are doing and steal stuff that way. Plus being outside houses, if people leave they can just break in. Or they can sit in a public place with wi-fi and do the same.

Having your name as a username won't make any difference.

As for others knowing what you bought, well close family and friends may well know your username anyway and as for the rest well they may not even realise you can search for usernames.

For most people their username probably won't even look much like their real name and if they change it then there's no problem anyway. Plus people you know won't know how long you've been on ebay to know whether you got to decide your username or whether it was picked for you.

So basically, chances are no one is going to be able to find you anyway and thieves can still very easily steal from you.

The chances are higher than you think and simply having the information available and not hidden, is a security breach no matter what way you decide to view the matter. I am not disregarding your opinions, but it still remains to be a fact.

If it must remain a part of the ebay policy, then why not make it invisible and when needed the ebay staff can simply assist police with such matters if they are as serious as your example.

Anyone saying they have tested the register process with Paul Smith or similar as an example does not understand and should try using a more unique name to realize that it is not simply changed to Paul_ssddks2014 and will use your full details.

Dashikii

In support of the OP, I've been a member of ebay since 2004. I orignially signed up with my real name but changed it a month after.
You can still see my real name till today on my ID history. Ebay have told me that there is no way for me to remove it even though i changed it over 10 years ago.
I am an honest buyer/seller and i have nothing to hide, but i hate that my full name is visible.

Flyonthewall

unreal2014 wrote: »

The chances are higher than you think and simply having the information available and not hidden, is a security breach no matter what way you decide to view the matter. I am not disregarding your opinions, but it still remains to be a fact.

If it must remain a part of the ebay policy, then why not make it invisible and when needed the ebay staff can simply assist police with such matters if they are as serious as your example.

Anyone saying they have tested the register process with Paul Smith or similar as an example does not understand and should try using a more unique name to realize that it is not simply changed to Paul_ssddks2014 and will use your full details.

In the end it doesn't matter what your name is, whether it's visable or not, whether most people even know that. If someone is going to try and look you up there's plenty of ways to do it and none involve knowing your username. If someone is going to steal from you they can do it in many ways and far easier ways then figuring out who you are from your username.

Besides everytime you walk in a shop people can see you and what you're buying. You are far more likely to run into someone you know down the shops than them decide to stalk you online.

When you sign up to ebay you agree to their terms and conditions and that includes giving your real information and allowing them to create a username. Don't like it, don't use ebay or for that matter any other site that does the same thing.

cootuk

What if you spent months choosing your username, then found that someone else had that name?

Flyonthewall

cootuk wrote: »

What if you spent months choosing your username, then found that someone else had that name?

Then you have too much time to waste. Still, you just change it slightly. Add a character, take a character away, change a character e.g. o to 0 or i to 1. Or think of a backup username. It's ebay, it's not a life or death decision to get the perfect username (especially as you can change it).