Asian Stocks Fall On Renewed Recession Concerns

Asian stocks opened significantly lower this morning on renewed recession concerns. It looks like the credit crunch virus has spread from the United States to Europe and now to Asia.

My friend wanted to purchase a house but I said that it would be better to hold her horses first. The economy has yet to bottom out and it's best to hold on to cash for the moment.

The effects of this credit crunch, which no longer just affect companies in the credit market has touched the auto, manufacturing and technology industries as well. Of course, retail is also badly affected since consumers do not have so much free money to spend anymore.

In any case, buying property, or even a car, would be best done later in the year or early next year. I understand that this gloomy economy will last for three years, at least. So there's still a long way to sit this out.

Obama Spiderman Domain Name Auction

About two weeks ago, I wrote a post on Amazing Spiderman #583 with Barack Obama on the cover where people were selling them on eBay even without having the comic on hand yet since it would only be released on Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th President of the United States.

Although copies of the Amazing Spiderman are only sold at US$3.99 each normally, people willingly paid more than that just so that they could secure a copy. I am not surprised that there are people capitalizing on Obama's popularity but I do wonder why collectors are willing to pay a hundred times more. I know, I know, it is in the name of investment!

Last evening, I stumbled upon an eBay auction that capitalizes on Obama and Spiderman. It's for the domain name ObamaSpidey.com. Now, we all know how much it is to register a domain name but this seller is asking for US$10,000. Interested parties may make an offer too.

While normal people would not pay so much for a domain name, there may be some crazy investor or web entrepreneur who may see value in this.

Would you pay US$100,000 for this particular domain name? If not, how much would you offer the Seller?

eBay listing: Here

Family Vacation Pacakages

My friend, Evon, who has migrated to the United States for almost ten years now, and married to a Korean there, says that she plans to take her parents on a holiday tour when they visit her in February, 2009.

Evon asked me if I know of anywhere which caters to people from three different generations, including Evon's two beautiful children. I know that going on a vacation with two elderly people, a toddler and an infant with only her husband helping out, would be very trying for her.

Coincidentally, I read about Mexico family vacation packages offered by Karisma Hotels & Resorts which I thought would be perfect for family vacations like what Evon is planning. I understand that they are having a 20% discount promotion as well throughout the year so I think that this is a great opportunity for Evon and her family!

May The Niu Year Shower You With Abundant Blessings

Chinese people the world over are celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year beginning today, 26th Jan, 2009. It is also known as Spring Festival as it is the first day of Spring. Today is an extremely auspicious day in the Chinese Lunar Calendar and most Chinese businesses have taken a few days off and will only reopen for business on another auspicious day; the fifth day of Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year lasts for a total of fifteen days but for me, I am not taking any day off. I always believe that a web business should be operated 24 hours a day and if it could be an automated process then good for us, if not, we should get back to our customers in as short a time as possible, holiday or not.

I hope that this Year of the Earth Ox will bring blessings to all of us and that the economy will improve, even if only slightly, despite what astrologers and fortune tellers say.

Trust Online

Trust is a very sensitive issue online. Sometimes, as Sellers, we get people writing in and asking if they could trust us. Could they trust that we will send out the items after receiving payment? Could they trust that our items are genuine and that the description is accurate? Could they trust our word when we say that we will ship out the package as soon as possible?

TRUST me, I have fielded more than my share of questions from Buyers regarding my trust level.

However, could we really blame them? I know that some of my counterparts could be really ticked off if they receive a question like this. The thing is, Buyers are the ones who would normally bear all the risks in an online transaction. Let's not talk about those who initiate a chargeback after receiving their purchases, OK? But you get my drift.

Anyway, when I receive an email like this, I try my best to convince my potential buyer that I can indeed be trusted. I do my best to alleviate his/her fears and give this person the best customer service I could.

TRUST me, after the first deal, you will have a returning buyer for life.

Advocating Online Shopping

It's kind of odd that although my sister has migrated to the United States eight years ago, a comparatively more advanced country, she is still not comfortable shopping online, while I try to do everything online, especially shopping and paying bills online.

The other day, when she told me that her mother-in-law needs a cervical collar after getting hurt in a car accident, I told her to buy it online. You see, her mother-in-law is temporarily not able to drive and my sister and her husband pull really long hours at work. I was very difficult for them to find time to look around for cervical collars. The father-in-law is of no help too so the best option for her would be to purchase it online.

Allegro Medical has five different sizes for cervical collars so I am sure she would be able to find one that fits perfectly and comfortably!

IRS Reporting Beginning 2011

I remember reading a few years ago that income from eBay and other online activities became taxable in the United States, then United Kingdom and recently, Canada, though I am not certain if the law was finally passed in Canada.

Beginning 2011, though, it will be compulsory for online payment processors like PayPal and Google Checkout to report these transactions to the IRS.

I wonder if this is even necessary since many people I know have diligently printed out their PayPal statements for tax declaration purposes. Now it looks like this isn't even enough? Why? Doesn’t the IRS trust these taxpayers? I think it’s pretty sad that the IRS needs to cross check them like this.

So far, it seems like there's lack of guidance on the part of IRS but this new law will apply to PayPal US customers who have achieved US$20,000 in gross transactions and more than 200 transactions in a year.

If you fall into this category, then you will have to keep your eyes and ears peeled.

Is This The Right Time To Invest In Luxury Property?

I was chatting with my friend, Paul, who tells me that it is now the right time to invest in property. While I read from various sources that the economy will be in a lull for the next three years, at least, I would think that if that's the case, it is still not the right time to pick up property yet, especially luxury real estate.

However, Paul is already checking out Wilmington, NC Luxury Real Estate. He says that besides buying at the right price, he is also looking for luxury property in a good location as well.

I guess Paul knows better than I when it comes to property investment. While I am still dreaming of buying my own home one day, Paul has already bought, and sold, quite a few properties, and made some money too! I surely have much to learn from him!

What's Up With The Obamobile?

Well, well, well, since the day that the owner of the Obamobile, 2005 Chrysler 300C, was put up for auction on eBay since at least November, 2008, this owner has kept ending the auction prematurely. Why? Only he knows or maybe he is dissatisfied with the price that it was going to fetch?

Just like Natalie Dylan, who has on numerous occasions put up her virginity on auction, it looks like it is the same case with the 2005 Chrysler 300C. I actually feel pity for those people who took the time to read up on the items on auction, who spent time doing research and who diligently checked the auction listings to bid at the right time and more importantly, at the right price.

I don't know, but it looks to me like these sellers are not very serious with their sale and all these that they are doing are for publicity purposes. I could be wrong, though, and on many occasions have been told so, but like I said, if they are reluctant to let go, then they could keep it.

Backing Up Online

I don't deny that as a proprietor of a small company, I often slack when it comes to backing up my data. I know how important it is to back up regularly AND to double check that the back up could be easily recovered in case of an emergency. After all, I have experienced server crash before and lost valuable data and that's disaster to the max!

I used to think that it is a tedious process to back up my data since it changes all the time and I would be doing the same routine over and over again. However, I subsequently learned that I could do it easily and automatically with an Online Backup solutions provider like Storage Pipe, yet, I don't do it as often as I should. I guess old habits die hard.

Experts advise that while we should back up our data as regularly as possible, we need to check our back up files at least twice a year to ensure that data could be easily recovered and that the files aren't corrupter. You never know with technology!

If you haven’t backed up your data lately, even though you aren’t running a business, do so as soon as possible. You don’t want to be put in a spot if disaster strikes, do you?

CyberPartyGal's WebStore Will Be Open Throughout the Festivities

Chinese New Year is just around the corner. While I mentioned in an earlier post that the last day of shipping before Chinese New Year is 23rd January, 2009, a reader asked me if my Store will still be open throughout the Chinese New Year holidays.

Yes, as always, CyberPartyGal's WebStore will be open throughout the festivities. Just so you know, the first and second days of Chinese New Year are public holidays but because they fall on Monday and Tuesday, we will have a long stretch of holidays starting from Sunday; Saturday for some people.

Bear in mind that although CyberPartyGal's WebStore will continue to accept your orders and reply to your message should you have a question, shipping will only resume on Wednesday, 28th January, 2009.

Shopping For CNY

I haven't bought any new clothes or shoes for Chinese New Year yet even though there is only less than a week to the Festivities. My friends, on the other hand, have already not only bought new clothes and shoes, they have even bought new bags, lingerie and mobile phones. Yes, Chinese New Year is a big deal and it's tradition to wear everything new, especially on the first and second days. And everything must be RED as well!

I will only be shopping at the end of the week, when I could spare some time off work. The crowd will be massive at the mall but I am determined to get those Boots that I have been eyeing for ages. I hope the store will still have it in my size and in red too!

Just so you know, the reason I procrastinated with shopping for boots, and in fact, I hate shopping for shoes, is my odd sized feet. They are 6.5 and I have been told that they are too large for girls. Even my mother will comment, “Wah, gigantic!” each time I buy new shoes and she asks me what size I got them in!

Yeah, even though I am so not looking forward to it, I will do it because it’s Chinese New Year!

Barack Obama Used 2005 Chrysler 300C eBay Auction Hits US$20K

Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th President of the United States will be on 20th January, 2009 from 8pm to midnight. It's only appropriate to check how the auction is going for the restaurateur that is selling off Barack Obama's almost new 2005 Chrysler 300C.

At this point of writing, it has hit US$210,300 attracting a total of 49 bids. This is a more realistic bidding trend, as opposed to the earlier one at the beginning of the auction, so much so that eBay had to reset the auction.

Even so, the seller has already made a killing thanks to timing his auction parallel to Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony. The auction ends at 11.15pm, at the end of the ceremony. It will be party time for Barack Obama's camp and the Seller too!

Health Effects Of Copper Jewelry

Although I am not an accessories person, I recently have been wearing a pendant that is said good for health. I don't exactly know its benefits because I didn't read the brochure that came with it. I guess I wore it because it was a gift, not so much for its health effects.

I let my mother test out my Copper Jewelry and she said that it helps her joint pain. Now, I want to buy her another one, since mine is a present so I want it back. Haha!

I didn't know there are so many copper jewelry designs until I visited Archmaille Designs Jewelry Store. Not only are the designs varied, they even some in various colors. It's going to be a tough decision to make.

Last Day Of Shipping Before CNY 2009

Each time there is a major holiday coming up, I will have to set a "last day of shipping" for my customers. Of course, I do not like that BUT what I hate more is to have packages lying in post offices during a long holiday break.

This Chinese New Year, which starts on 26th January, 2009, is just a short break. However, 25th January, 2009 is Sunday, which naturally is an off day for delivery. Since shipping, even with the fastest mode, will require overnight delivery, I have set the last day of shipping on 23rd January, 2009.

This means that payment has to be made latest by noon 23rd January, 2009, in time for me to pack and ship out on the same day.

If you are planning to make a purchase from CyberPartyGal’s WebStore, do keep this in mind to ensure that you will receive your packages in a timely manner!

Happy shopping!

Why Not Just Verify MyKad?

If you are a Seller on eBay Malaysia, I believe you would have been forced to place your credit card on file with eBay. I was very reluctant to do so and in the end, decided to just place my debit card with them. Otherwise, I would not be able to list new items or even relist recent items.

This got me thinking that instead of forcing us to place our credit card on file, eBay should just verify our MyKad, which every Malaysian above 12 years old has. This would not create any inconvenience like placing a credit card, or even a debit card, would bring.

I know that a credit card is on file is necessary to eBay because this means that they could charge us in case we failed to settle our eBay bill.

SimplifyEm.com Property Management Software

Although I do not own property, I have helped a friend search for a suitable property management software that is easy to use. He is not a very technically inclined guy, surprisingly, but he does know what he wants in a good Property Management Software.

Although earlier I found him a few options, now that I came upon SimplifyEm.com, I think that this is the best for him. For one, it has a very simple interface and easy to use, even for a guy like him.

Also, it is very easy to set up, saves time and money and most of all, it allows us to write notes and attached scanned documents to easily keep track of our property and tenants.

Barack Obama's Used 2005 Chrysler 300C Up On eBay

I first read about the intention of the current owner of this 2005 Chrysler 300C that was once owned by Barack Obama that he intends to auction it off on eBay and yes, he finally did it an in conjunction with the inauguration of Barack Obama as the new President of the United States as well, where a million people are expected to attend, with or without tickets!

If I remember correctly, the current owner of Barack Obama's used 2005 Chrysler 300C is a restaurateur in the Detroit area and he only knew about the previous owner of the car when he already bought it. What luck!

By the way, Obama sold it off because this car is not environmentally friendly and he had to get rid of it in order to attack GM and Chrysler for the vehicles. Obama replaced this car with a hybrid.

Starting bid for the car is US$100,000 which the owner justified with the transacted prices of some other vehicles, namely Pope John Paul's Ford Escort which fetched almost US$700,000 and the BIN price has been set at a million dollars. Real market value for such a car, without taking into account its previous owner, is priced at about US$13,500.

When this auction first went live, bidding was hot and drove the price ridiculously over the top. eBay had to step in and reset the bid to zero to avoid any discrepancies.

eBay listing: HERE

Going All Out To Look Good

It's that time of the year again when everyone would want to look their best en mass. It's Chinese New Year and there'll be plenty of socializing to be done. Hence, many of my friends are rushing to get their hair done, to buy new clothes and shoes. Some would even go as far as buying new matching lingerie (because it's Chinese New Year!) and some are changing their mobile phones. LOL

I have a friend who cleverly bought a dress at a size smaller and in these two weeks, she has been trying to reduce weight by exercising like mad and taking the best diet pills. Of course we think she's crazy to push herself like that but she says it will be worth it.

Shrug... women... even I don't understand them myself!

Online Retail Is Sort Of Recession Proof

I watched a news feature recently on TV, though I have forgotten which channel it was or even the name of the programme which reported that retailers experienced lower holiday sales over the Thanksgiving - Christmas - New Year holiday. That's certainly expected, in view of the leaner economy where even young children are recycling their old toys for gifts by selling their toys for the cash to buy gifts for themselves or younger siblings.

On the other hand, although there are more online Sellers who experienced a higher rate of unpaid items, online retail is sort of recession proof. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, buying online, we get to avoid traffic jam, shoppers and cut down on miscellaneous costs that we incur whenever we go out of the house.

People will continue to shop, though lesser, but they will prefer to spend this money online. That's why it is important to evaluate our merchandise and offer what the majority of people are looking for.

Alpaca Fashion

It has been an exceptionally cold winter this year. Even it is surprisingly cold here in Tropical Ipoh, so much so that I have to layer up every morning, which is unusual for our weather. My friend, Paul who lives in New York, tells me that despite having experienced winter for almost twenty years now, he is still not prepared for the bitter cold and had to buy new winter clothing hat could better keep him warm.

I noticed that Alpaca Clothing is not only able to keep one warm but they are very fashionable too. My sister says that she dislikes winter not so much because of the cold but because there hasn't been able to keep warm and yet look reasonably fashionable without looking like a bag lady. I think I know what she means looking at the dowdy winter wear she has!

I believe that she would be happy to know about Alpaca fashion available at Purely Alpaca.

Email Scam On The Increase

Email scammers are sending out even more mail this year compared to last year in view of the weaker economic situation. They figure that with the tough days ahead, people would be more susceptible into clicking on links that come in the email, some claiming that these recipients have won an obscene amount of money in an unheard of lottery draw, some claiming that a long lost now dead relative has left an inheritance of an equally obscene sum.

And then there are the kinds of scam mail which phish for sensitive information of financial websites, including PayPal and eBay. Even though I have mentioned time and again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I would like to remind everyone that it's never too careful to be alert at all times and never click on links on emails even if they may be from people that we know.

The fact that scammers continue to send out scam emails mean that there are still people getting caught due to negligence, greed or whatever. That’s why it is important for us to regularly remind each other to watch out what lands in our inbox.

Building Web Presence

As an online seller, I understand how important it is to have a web presence, either in the form of a simple website or through social medial profiles. Some people may think that this is taking the easy way out but then, not all of us require custom built websites, right?

My friend was asking me if there are web building companies who would offer their services for less than US$1000. Frankly, I have also researched the market and I too felt that the rates are way too expensive, especially when all we want is a simple website to introduce our company or products.

Yesterday, I was informed of Web Presence Two and I felt that they are really able to cater to people like my friend and I. By using free Blogger tools, they are able to help us build a website, along with a blog, RSS feed and CMS. From $850, they will also search engine optimized it so that our site will be search engine friendly.

I haven’t a need for a website that I can’t build myself but if I really am not familiar with the technicalities of building and hosting my website, this is the price I am willing to pay.

eBay Changes Feedback Policy

If you trade on eBay, I am sure you will know how unfair their DSR is. Most Sellers are rated low when am item is slow to be delivered due to a delay on the side of the shipper, or if an item is custom taxed. These are no fault of the buyer but sellers could be very unreasonable.

Now, the change on feedback policy that eBay is willing to make is that they will be removing negative and even neutral feedback that reference custom tax. Even so, sellers who are in cross border trade must always mention that the final auction price does not include any country's custom tax and it is the sole responsible of the buyer.

I think this is a positive move. It's rather paradoxical that when a seller is rated lowly which pulls down his/her overall DSR, eBay will suspend this account and the seller would not be able to list an auction. How then does eBay expect this seller to improve on the DSR?

Monster Transmission & Performance

My brother in law recently traded in his car for another. My sister wasn't very happy about that because she knows that with every "new" car, he would want to fine tune and customize it to his liking and he sure is a very difficult man to please when it comes to his precious cars!

I found out about this Monster Transmission website just in time for him to look for a new auto transmission. He most probably could find what he wants on Monster Transmission & Performance at a very reasonable price since MTP is a direct distributor and if he could find the same product at a lower price, MTP always strives to match it. Moreover, by shopping with MTP, free shipping is provided for all products within Continental USA.

The website of Monster Transmission is very user-friendly and it is easy to search for whatever auto parts that one is looking for. We could request for an online price quote or call their toll free number for instant assistance.

What is most important is that Monster Transmission & Performance makes it a point to test drive all auto transmissions that they carry. This provides peace of mind to buyers because quality is assured.

Visit the website of Monster Transmission & Performance at http://www.eatmyshift.com or call their toll free number at 1-800-708-0087.

Natalie Dylan's Virginity Auction Hits US$3.6 million

I'm sure many of my readers are no stranger to the name "Natalie Dylan." All right, this is not a real name but the pseudonym of a young lady who is auctioning off her virginity.

Since the day she tried to auction off her virginity on eBay, which was promptly removed by eBay, I wrote two posts on her, not so much about her virginity but about the "head shaped chicken" that looked like Natalie Dylan.

Well, I read that bidding for her virginity has hit AUD$5.5 million (approx. US$3.6million). I am not sure if this is a joke or what. Why would she still need to study for her Masters Degree anymore if she is going to transact with the winning bidder, or offer a second chance to the second highest bidder?

If you are interested to place a bid on Natalie Dylan's virginity, visit the Bunny Ranch website. I think you would need to register with them in order to place your bid, or even to view the auction. Gah!

Source: The West

Domain Name Auction

While some of us, especially those who depend on the internet to make a living, have been struggling to earn more money, I know of a friend who has been very successful with her niche blogs and websites. One of her income streams is from reselling domain names that she registered. Of course, these would have to be names that are short and precise, easy to remember and spell. You would be surprised how much people are willing to pay for just the RIGHT domain name for their businesses.

I came across an interesting auction on eBay just this morning for the domain name AidGrant.com. This would be a great name for anyone who intends to start a charity website OR maybe a website with information on college scholarships or grants and student aid. On the other hand, it would also make a great investment as well since the starting bid for AidGrant.com on eBay is only at a low US$199.95.

If you are interested to acquire this domain name, check out AidGrant.com eBay auction. Details of this domain name are there on this auction page and if you have any doubt, give the seller a call. Act fast as this is a seven-day auction. The good news is that international bids are welcome.

More Unpaid Items

I don't know if this is getting more and more common in view of the weaker economic situation but many of my friends, who are fellow online sellers have been complaining that they are getting more and more orders unpaid for. Some of their auctions on eBay and Lelong were also not paid and they blame it on the economy.

Somehow, people tend to change their mind so fast now between winning an auction or placing an order and making payment for it. LOL Somehow, tightening their purse strings, they have forgotten that winning a bid on an online auction is like a contract to purchase.

While my friends are pissed off to have to deal with such people and wasting time cancelling their orders after giving a decent amount of time to pay up, they also do understand that times are hard and that everyone is trying not to spend unnecessarily.

Luckily, I personally haven’t seen an increase in such incidents. I too would get pissed off. LOL

Buying With Fake Gift Cards

Back in December, 2006, I wrote a post on gift card scams and how online sellers had tried to sell off gift cards that have already expired. Even so, gift cards have remained the top gift item for the past five consecutive years. While some people think that we would be losing some money buying with gift cards, if you do not know your gift recipient too well, or if you are too hard pressed for time to pick out a personalized gift, or to custom make one, then there's no denying that gift cards are the best.

Recently, a guy, Andrew Sun, has been caught using fake gift cards to make purchases, many of them were electronics and gadgets, worth a total of USD750,000. Andrew Sun now faces six charges of recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime and has been refused bail.

I know it's possible to scam money from unsuspecting buyers by selling expired gift cards but I really do not get how online merchants would be able to accept fraudulent gift cards. Perhaps Andrew Sun hacked the computer systems of these companies' websites?

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #583 With President Barack Obama On eBay Already

Even before Marvel Comics sell their issue #583 of Amazing Spider-man, you could already buy it on eBay. The first copy sold at US$16.95 and there is a second copy that is being offered at US$29.95.

These sellers do not have these comics on hand and will only ship out on 14th January, 2009, on Inauguration Day of the new President of the United States. On that day, Marvel Comics will sell these comics at only US$3.99 per copy, but they are expected to fly off the shelves. So I guess, by buying early and paying so much more, it is a good way to assure a copy, provided the Seller will be able to get ahold of a copy and ship it out at the price sold. Anything can happen, you know? LOL

Marvel Comics decided to feature President Barack Obama in Amazing Spider-man because the President is a huge fan of Spider-man and Conan the Barbarian and used to collect these comics. He becomes the first President of the United States to be on the cover of the comics too.

I guess, if these were limited edition comics, then they would be collectibles and could fetch a good price in the future provided Marvel Comics wouldn’t sell these like newspapers did on Barack Obama’s Presidential election win.

Managing Account Receivables

In view of the current economic climate, it is not surprising that many companies are in debt and they are finding it even more difficult to repay their debt on schedule. Working in the family company, I find it very difficult to collect debt because our business partners have been with us for a long time now.

The fact that they defaulted on settlements, hence turning them into debt, shows that they do not have enough cash to turn. How could I go and chase after them to pay up? If I do not, then how could we continue with our business, ensuring that we turn a profit as well? I once read that part of a successful company is in their ability to collect debt, which is something I am not good in!

My sister told me that there are Debt Collection agencies in the United States which specializes in collecting debt for their clients. Well, I do know of such companies but did not think of engaging their services because their cut is too deep.

However, I just read that American Profit Recovery has a low-cost fee structure, unlike what I came across so far. This means that it is even more viable for companies to hire American Profit Recovery to manage their account receivables.

To Self Collect or Not

While I subscribe to the belief that we should avoid making purchases online for high priced items so as not to be a number in the statistics of scam victims, PayPal, on the other hand, encourages people to use PayPal to pay for their eBay purchases to qualify for Buyer protection and not pay by cash, direct bank transfer or other means of payment. Hence, the title of this post.

Now, as a buyer, I don't buy high price items, like I said. However, I did bought an item before which cost me slightly more than a thousand Ringgit. What I did was to self-collect it and pay cash. Of course, only after I have checked the item was in order and as described in the auction listing. I was pretty lucky that the purchase did not give me any problems.

The problem arises is when a Buyer insists on paying by PayPal or credit card but comes over to self-collect. Now wouldn't that pique your curiosity why anyone would make payment in a roundabout way when he could bring you the cash when the item is collected?

The reason that one would do something is that you should suspect that he's using a hijacked PayPal account or stolen credit card number, paying you wil stolen money and collecting your item, and then when the real account holders file complaints, money that had been paid to you will be returned and you would not be covered under Seller protection plan because you will not be able to prove that the item had been delivered. Sad case, right?

Online Degree

I have been thinking long and hard about my future lately. It is tough without the necessary paper qualification, you know? With the current economic climate, it certainly is an employer's market right now and I would lose out if I do not raise my education level.

As a working adult, a friend suggested that I study online. I know that it is possible to study for an online degree but have not really explored this option yet. My friend told me that it's pretty common for people like us who do not have the luxury of returning to school full time.

I understand that there are quite a few institutes of higher learning offering online degree courses but always remember to only study with an accredited school.

This post was based on information provided by Blogitive.
For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

eBay Unpaid Item Strike Received: #130042365011

I received an email warning purportedly from eBay, with an unpaid item strike. The email came with two links, both linking to a webpage, that is in fact a phishing site hosted in Russia.

I am active on eBay but luckily I use a separate email account for my eBaying activities and this phishing mail landed in a different email account.

eBay phishing emails are easy to spot. Firstly, as you can see from this screenshot that I have enclosed, Cyrillic alphabet is used. The email was addressed to "nobody" (real eBay messages address us by our real name) and the links are directed to http://xxx.rbcmail.ru (this is not the full link to avoid readers from accidentally clicking).

Luckily also, I am did not bid on any item this past two weeks and besides, I never forget to make payments to Sellers, after all, I too always hope that I will meet good Buyers in my own sales.

So, if you have also received something like this, just report it as a phishing mail.