Protect and Recover an Amazon, eBay, or Etsy Account

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Stolen Seller Accounts and How to Recover

When hunting for good deals on eBay, Etsy, or Amazon, you aren't going to look for sellers and stores with low ratings. You're going to make sure your sellers are safe and respected. Otherwise you might not get your purchase.

Unfortunately for sellers, being in good standing will also put a giant target on your accounts. Scammers and hackers will do everything they can to get access to that account. They want whatever money they can get a hold of. Or, they could just be trying to destroy your reputation.

Account take overs happen all the time. Not only are they prevalent on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, but they also happen with online marketplaces.The more business you do, the more you're likely to gain attention. While that's good for business, it does draw scammers and hackers to you.

Luckily, there are a few ways to keep ahead of the hackers and lock down your accounts.

How to Avoid Being a Target

There are multiple ways to protect your account(s):

• Create a super strong password.
• If all you're using is a password, you're going to need to change it often.
• Learn how to avoid being scammed.
• Know what eBay scams to be aware of.
• Turn on two-factor authentication:

Turn on Two-Factor Authentication for Amazon

1. Log into your Amazon Account.
2. Mouse over Account and Lists and select Your Account.
   

1. 
   
   
2. Select Login and Security.
   

1. Select Two-Step Verification.
   

1. Click Get Started to set-up Two-Step Verification.
2. Add your primary phone number (this phone must be able to receive SMS messages) or download and configure an authenticator app and click Send code.
3. Enter the code that was sent to your phone number or generated through the authenticator app and click Verify code and continue.

You won't be able to turn on Two-Step Verification without adding a back-up phone number . This is so that you have a back-up option to receive a security code if you no longer have access to your primary mobile device . You won't be able to turn on Two-Step Verification without adding a back-up phone number . This is so that you have a back-up option to receive a security code if you no longer have access to your primary mobile device.

Turn on Two-Factor Authentication for eBay

Text Message or SMS 2-Factor

1. Navigate to https://www.ebay.com/ and sign in to your account.
   

1. Go to your name in the top left-hand corner.
   

1. Choose Account Settings from the dropdown menu.
   

1. Select Personal Information.
   

1. Scroll to the Security information section and select Edit next to 2 Step Verification.
   

1. Select Get Started next to Get a text message.
2. Follow the on-screen prompts to add your mobile number.

Using the eBay App

1. Download the latest version of the eBay app.
2. Sign in to your account.
   

1. Go to My eBay.
   

1. Select Settings.
   

1. Go to Signing In.
   

1. Then choose 2 Step Verification.
   

1. Select Turn on beside eBay Verify.
   

Enable Two-Factor on Etsy

1. Sign into your Etsy Account.
   

1. Select You, then Account Settings.
   

1. Select Security.
   

1. Choose whether to get a text by phone (SMS), to use an authenticator app, or to get a phone call.
   

1. After selecting what you would prefer, follow the on screen directions.

What to do if You've Been Hacked

You can tell you've been hacked if auctions you didn't bid on or sell are showing up in your account. If you're seeing withdrawals from your accounts that you didn't authorize. If you notice your password suddenly not working, you've got a huge red flag. If your Amazon seller account was hacked you may see items you don't normally sell in your listings.

Luckily, if you've been hacked it still isn't the end of the world. Especially if you can get access to your account again.

Immediately after finding out you've been hacked, try to get into your account again. You may be able to use a forgot password option. If you can get back into that account immediately change the password. If you used that password for anything else, change it on those websites as well. Any secret questions you had tied to your account should be changed. While you should never use the same password for your email and your seller accounts, if you did, change your email password as well.

After changing the password, review the above steps and turn on 2-factor authentication. Using 2-factor will not only lock the hacker out completely, it will keep them locked out.

If you can't get any access to your account at all there's a good chance the hacker turned on 2-factor. Unfortunately you'll need to get in contact with the site's customer service. As long as you can prove who you are, you should be able to get your account back.

How to Recover My Amazon Account

1. Attempt a password reset.
2. If you can't log in due to 2-step authentication you can upload proof of your identity and have it turned off.
3. If you still can't sign in, contact Amazon's Seller Support.

How to Recover My eBay Account

1. Try a password reset.
2. If you still can't sign in, get in contact with eBay.

How to Recover My Etsy Account

1. Attempt a password reset.
2. If you can't sign in due to two-factor authentication, use one of the backup codes.
3. If the account is closed, reopen your Etsy account.
4. If your Etsy account is suspended, you can file an appeal.
5. If you still can't sign in, contact Etsy Support.