Some examples of spam include:

• Unsolicited email offers to potential buyers for items that are the same or similar to items a member is bidding on or has bid on in the past

• Email sent to a member from a mailing list without the member’s explicit permission

• Direct or stand-alone invitations to join a mailing list

• Email sent using the "Contact eBay Member" link on the eBay Web site to send unsolicited commercial offers

Email offers to buy or sell items outside of the eBay site are not permitted. Offers of this nature circumvent eBay's fee structure and are a potential fraud risk for both buyers and sellers.

Email and Web sites Impersonating eBay
Some members have reported receiving requests for personal information in email messages that are made to appear that they were sent from eBay. More information on these messages, as well as how they can be reported, can be found on the Email and Web sites Impersonating eBay page.

Minimising Unwanted Email
eBay is concerned about your privacy. As outlined in our Privacy Policy, we do not sell or disclose your information for marketing purposes. Email addresses are only disclosed to members involved in an eBay transaction. eBay will investigate and take action on reports of misuse of Contact an eBay Member.

In addition to the efforts taken by eBay to protect your privacy, there are several steps you can take to minimise the unwanted email you receive.

What is Not Covered
Please be aware that eBay's spam policy applies only to unsolicited commercial messages sent by eBay members. If you are receiving surveys, promotional messages or other email from eBay that you feel you should not be receiving, please refer to the Communication Preferences Overview for information on how to change the types of email you receive from eBay.

Email messages that are not commercial in nature, including offensive or unwelcome email, do not fall under the eBay spam policy.

Instant messages and other forms of communication conducted outside of eBay are not within our jurisdiction. Although posts on the eBay Discussion Boards are not reviewed as spam, eBay does have a policy related to appropriate board usage.

Mailing Lists
Sellers are permitted to invite other users to join a mailing list as long as the email is related to the transaction and the mailing list invitation is not the primary purpose of the email.

Reporting Spam
If you have received spam from another eBay member, please report it. In order to investigate a spam report, we must have a complete copy of the email you received with the full header included.

If you received a warning for violating our spam policy and you believe that it was sent in error, please contact us.

If you were suspended for violating our Spam policy and would like to contact us, please send us an email.

eBay understands that members are concerned about personal privacy. For this reason, eBay policy does not permit members to send spam.