Web Forgery Warning

A new eBay scam email is being sent out and the website takes you through to a 'Phishing' scam. These attacks are designed to trick users into sharing personal or financial information and are increasingly becoming commonplace. This email is one of many we have reported and action is now being taken to stop the email that is being used to imitate the Ebay emails. Click on the picture above to see the full email.

Be warned that if you receive this email:-  "Response to Question about Item -- Respond Now", it could be the scam email. Delete it and DO NOT use the link that says:-  "Question from seller Item: (3468767445487)" Other forms of this email contacting the same link have also been sent out.  All say things like this,  "Please send me the money for this item or i will report you to eBay. Thank You."

Go to this link  to find out more about how to spot fake emails from eBay.

eBay said:- "We will investigate this situation immediately and inform you of the results. This email is not a message sent by eBay and looks like it is a common email scam. Scams like this do not just target businesses like us, but many other types of businesses and even banks are being targeted like this now. If any of your readers have already replied to a fraudulent email and sent sensitive personal information or entered data through a fake Web page, you need to take immediate steps to protect your eBay account and any other accounts you have on the web. Please tell your readers to look at "Securing Your eBay Account and Reporting Account Theft" and for advice as to protecting your identity "see Protecting Your Identity""...

Is Business Really Black & White?

IF you are thinking about setting up in business or if you are in business, then there is a huge amount of information and advice given; some for free, other advice given for a fee. No one can answer that big question other than you, but taking information from experienced business parties is a must. This was one of the many topics being discussed at the launch of the North West section of a business networking and support group called 'Striding Out'.

The group held an inspirational event on Thursday 18 October 2007 in one of Manchester's most exclusive clubs, called "The Circle Club" It soon proved to be money well spent.

The guests were able to mix with other guests and also to quiz a panel of successful entrepreneurs, who have firmly established themselves in the Manchester and North West economy. Striding Out is already highly successful in London and it is hoped that a branch in Manchester and very soon in Liverpool will aid this area of the UK as well. From what we could see the group is now well on the way to become a very dynamic and proactive networking and coaching community for young entrepreneurs. "Experience can be more valuable, in the long term than the short term profit. This is not what most businesses think about in the UK and if they did it would lead to a far more stable market place and a stronger business sector." One of the members told me. "The difference between Striding Out and other groups is clear, we all help each other, even if we are rivals. This is very different philosophy from most modern business attitudes, which are taught. Most people in the UK see business in the form of Dragons Den style accountancy, profit for the short term and build on that.... Forget others and concentrate on yourself. You could say the 'First Past The Post mentality'. NBN aim to provide a refreshing change to that "I'm all right Jack" attitude most UK businesses now have. Working in mutual co-operation, makes business far more productive and far more competitive in the long run. It sounds strange, but helping each other makes business sense. If you have a problem, just ask another member for help, they help you, by telling you what they did to solve that problem, then they ask you for help if they require it... and they will at some point! Remember the saying,, Two heads are better than one. Why both struggle and go bust, why not help each other to build up each other's businesses. We are not saying get into bed with them, but mutual sensible talking and help makes for a friendlier working environment and in the end opens up far more business opportunities. This then also makes your business far more stable. It is a hard concept to explain, but if you head on over you would find out what it is all about. I think it is about Common sense and traditional British Values, put into a business environment." .

"Business is not just about plain figures, it is about the people around you.  You often here the saying, ''It is not what you know it is who you know.'' and that is so correct about business.  That is what we are about, but also more importantly, we are here to help each other!   We will not give members the answers, as such, but we will help them to fill in the blanks, by giving them the options and telling what happened when we did them. 

This help is what most of us never got, but what the UK badly needs.  You could say that this group is the grey to the black and white of modern business practices. 

That is why we feel that businesses who join us will have that extra advantage over the other businesses in the UK." Jonathan Thompson told me as he was leaving the venue....continued...

...continued... The night's main panel members were:-

* Jonathan Thompson, a serial entrepreneur with interests in numerous entrepreneurial ventures from Retro Arcade Games, Fab Café, and Level 22 Management. He is also a presenter, model and actor.

* Lisa Tse, is one of three sisters behind Sweet Mandarin, a modern Chinese cuisine restaurant within a trendy setting accompanied by an array of mouth watering cocktails, alcoholic beverages and smoothies. Lisa has recently been short-listed for the Women of the Future Awards 2007 in the Entrepreneurial category.

* Rose Marley and Lee Stanley co-founders of Manchester based Silk Studios in 1995 and more recently Motiv, a social enterprise to improve aspirations amongst disaffected young people through engagement in music and popular culture. Silk Studio clients have included EMI, SONY BMG, FFRR, WEA. Lee Stanley has produced remixes for artists as diverse as Tom Jones to Busta Rhymes as well as producing albums for EMI and Warner Bro, and Rose Marley has managed artist campaigns for Warner Records, AOL Time Warner and EMI. Later diversifying into PR and sponsorship, working with Robbie Williams, Barclays, BSKYB and Audi.

* The panel discussion was chaired by Chris Charlton a Radio representative and founder of Right Communications

The event was hosted and chaired by Heather Wilkinson, Managing Director of Striding Out CIC.

To become a member and to find out more about the group you can log onto their website.

Also please feel free to play our audio interview when added later this week to this page, or tune your computer onto our online radio station Liverpool Reporter.

Sorry an audio report will be added very soon...