Beware of the New Etsy Scam: Fake OneDrive Link!

Beware of the New Etsy Scam: Fake OneDrive Link!

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. The Scam: A Real-Life Example
3. Recognizing the Red Flags
4. Understanding the OneDrive Scam
5. Research Findings: University Connection
6. Impact on New and Inexperienced Sellers
7. How to Protect Yourself
8. Reporting Scammers to Etsy
9. Recent Increase and Future Outlook
10. Conclusion

The OneDrive Scam: Protecting Yourself on Etsy

Introduction There has been a recent surge in a scam targeting Etsy sellers that involves the use of OneDrive links. This article aims to shed light on this scam, providing insights into a real-life example, identifying red flags, and offering tips for protecting yourself as a seller on Etsy.

The Scam: A Real-Life Example One of the author's students, a successful six-figure seller on Etsy, recently encountered this scam. A customer messaged her, expressing interest in a large custom order and providing a OneDrive link that supposedly contained the designs. However, the seller became suspicious and refused to click the link, ultimately marking the message as spam.

Recognizing the Red Flags Language barriers and requests to click external links should raise caution among sellers. Sellers must be vigilant and trust their instincts when faced with such requests. The customer's persistence in asking the seller to open the file is a significant red flag that indicates a potential scam.

Understanding the OneDrive Scam The OneDrive scam targets sellers by tricking them into clicking malicious links. These links often lead to phishing attempts, attempting to steal personal information or gain unauthorized access to accounts. Scammers personalize their messages to fit the seller's product type, making the scam appear more legitimate.

Research Findings: University Connection Investigation into the origin of this scam revealed a connection to the University of Pittsburgh's Information Technology department. The scam URL contained the word "university," mirroring a warning released by the university in 2021 regarding a similar phishing scam using OneDrive links.

Impact on New and Inexperienced Sellers While experienced sellers may be familiar with such scams, new or inexperienced sellers are vulnerable to falling victim to these tactics. Particularly when receiving what appears to be a significant custom order, sellers may feel pressured to respond and fear losing their star seller status.

How to Protect Yourself The most crucial step in safeguarding against the OneDrive scam is to refrain from clicking any links received through customer messages. Instead, encourage customers to attach photos or screenshots directly to their message. If a customer persists, becomes pushy, or makes threats, it is advisable to stop replying and mark the conversation as spam.

Reporting Scammers to Etsy Identifying and reporting scammers is essential in protecting the Etsy community. Etsy flags accounts that have been repeatedly reported for spam, increasing the chances of catching scammers and preventing further harm.

Recent Increase and Future Outlook Instances of the OneDrive scam on Etsy have surged in the past few months, indicating that these scammers are just getting started. Sellers need to remain vigilant and share information about this scam with their peers to prevent its spread.

Conclusion Being aware of the OneDrive scam and its red flags is crucial for all Etsy sellers. By following simple precautions, such as avoiding clicking suspicious links and promptly reporting scammers, sellers can protect themselves and their businesses from falling victim to this harmful scam.

Highlights

• The OneDrive scam is targeting Etsy sellers, posing significant risks.
• Language barriers and requests to click external links should raise suspicions.
• Sellers should refrain from clicking any links and encourage customers to attach files directly.
• The OneDrive scam has ties to the University of Pittsburgh's Information Technology department.
• New and inexperienced sellers are most vulnerable to falling for this scam.
• Reporting scammers to Etsy is essential for community safety.
• Instances of the OneDrive scam have been increasing, indicating a pressing need for awareness and prevention.