Here are some things you can do to help protect your eBay account and keep your personal data safe.
Change your password regularly
To keep your account secure, we recommend updating your password regularly. Choose a strong password that's difficult for others to guess.
Follow these tips for creating a strong new password:
- Avoid using personal details such as your name, birth date, or user ID
- Consider using a phrase (for example, a song lyric or book title)
- Use numbers and special characters
- Don’t use the same password that you use on other accounts
If you think your eBay account has been compromised or hacked, you should change the passwords for both your eBay account and personal email account. Your email password should be different from your eBay password.
To find out more, read our article on changing your password.
Add 2 Step Verification
To add an extra layer of security to your eBay account, we strongly recommend you enable 2 Step Verification. Once you’ve enabled 2 Step Verification, only you can access your account, even if someone else has obtained your password.
Once you've switched on 2 Step Verification, each time you sign into your account you'll be able to confirm your identity via an eBay app push notification, or by entering a code we send you by SMS.
Here's how to add 2 Step Verification on the eBay app:
- Download the latest version of the eBay app.
- Sign in to your account.
- Go to My eBay and select Settings.
- Go to Signing In and then choose 2 Step Verification.
- Select Turn on beside eBay Verify.
Here's how to set up 2 Step Verification by SMS:
- Sign in to your eBay account.
- Go to your name in the top left-hand corner and choose Account settings from the dropdown menu.
- Select Personal Information.
- Scroll to the Security information section and select Edit next to 2 Step Verification.
- Select Get started next to Get a text message.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to add your mobile number.
If you change your mind and would like to switch 2 Step Verification off – or you'd like to change from SMS to app notifications, or vice versa – simply follow the steps above to turn off the function. We'll aso send you an email to let you know when you've switched 2 Step Verification on or off.
Tip
To change your 2 Step Verification method, you'll need to follow the steps above to turn off your current selection first, and then turn on the method you'd prefer.
Update your contact details
It's important to keep your contact information up-to-date to help us reach you quickly with any updates about your account.
If you change your address or phone number, or set up a new email address, please update your contact details as soon as possible so your account information remains correct.
Read our article on Changing your contact details for more information.
Watch out for spoof or phishing emails
Spoof or phishing emails are emails that claim to be from eBay and are sent with the intent of accessing your passwords and other sensitive information. If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from eBay, you should immediately forward the message to us at spoof@ebay.co.uk. Don't click any links in the email or open any attachments. We'll let you know that we received your email and will investigate.
Find out how to spot suspicious emails in our article on Recognising spoof emails.
Report any strange activity on your account
It's a good idea to check My eBay and your preferences regularly to make sure no one has accessed your account or made changes without your permission. Check your active bids and listings in My eBay to make sure they're yours. If anything has changed without your authorisation, contact us straight away.
We'll notify you by email if a new device is used to sign in to your account that hasn't been used to access your account before. If you don't recognise the login details, contact us to let us know. You should also change your password.
If you think someone is trying to take over your account, for your protection, we may place a temporary hold on your account until we can safely return control of it to you. We can also help you remove any unauthorised fraudulent bids or listings.
Tip
Signs that your account has been taken over include seeing listings or bids that you didn't make, or noticing that your password has been changed without your knowledge. For more information, read our article on Getting help with a hacked account.