eBay and email addresses

There has been some discussion in this group recently whether the
messages from eBay, which many people have received, asking people to
change their User ID if it is or looks like an email address, are
genuine. The message I got resembles the messages others have posted
here recently. Most of the discussion has taken the view that these
messages are hoaxes designed to harvest User ID's and passwords.
Following the advice of someone's posting which I read this morning (and
now can't locate), I sent my message to asking them if
it was genuine. Here is the answer I got:

Hello,

Thank you for writing eBay.

In our ongoing efforts to prevent unsolicited and possibly fraudulent
email being sent to our members, we have decided not to allow User IDs
that include an email address. This policy takes effect immediately.

The email message you received includes your new temporary user ID and
instructions on how to change this ID. Please remember that if you
change your temporary ID you will not be allowed to use an email address
for your ID.

For more information on this policy regarding User IDs, refer to 'User
ID Policy' in Help at http://pages.ebay.com/.
This section may be found under the topic "eBay Policies" "Identity"
"User IDs."

Thank you for being a member of our vibrant online community.

Regards,

Ian
eBay SafeHarbor
Investigations Team

So maybe these are OK? Also, the temporary ID I got works if I go to
the members' services pages on eBay, and you would expect that it
wouldn't work if it came from an outsider.

--
Bob Underhill
To answer by e-mail delete everything in caps in the address.

Ebay does want everyone to change
Ebay email address ID's to something
else but beware anything via email
telling you to click a link. Instead, go
directly to Ebay's home page.