Is Audiogon safe?

rajacat · « **on:** 10 Feb 2012, 05:19 pm »

As many know, Audiogon recently revamped their website. A couple of days ago I visited AG and was greeted with a message that my virus program (Avast) had detected a Trojan horse.

Has anybody else had this experience or has visited AG recently and/or used it for a transaction?

jtwrace · « **Reply #1 on:** 10 Feb 2012, 05:22 pm »

Two transactions as a buyer last week and no issues.

ptmconsulting · « **Reply #2 on:** 10 Feb 2012, 05:38 pm »

Caught the "Security Essentials" malware virus last week there browsing the new area. Took a bit to get it gone. No issues with the old forum pages that I have heard of - only the new classified sections of the site.

groovybassist · « **Reply #3 on:** 10 Feb 2012, 05:43 pm »

This topic is being talked about a lot on another audio forum. I have two items I'm selling on Audiogon that are in the final stages of being sold (just waiting for payment, then shipping) and I haven't run into any problems.

However, I was concerned enough that I listed another item I have for sale (an LFD Zero LE Mk III integrated amp) on that other forum and will likely list it here vs. A'gon to see if I can sell it without the potential hassle. You do sacrifice the feedback mechanism A'gon has though, which I find very helpful in weeding out serious buyers from those that are questionable.

Gopher · « **Reply #4 on:** 10 Feb 2012, 06:30 pm »

I got that security essentials crap too on my office PC!!!

I ended up scrapping my install and using it as an excuse to move to windows 7 x64.

That was audiogons doing!?! Piece of crap! Bring back the damn yellow already, the upgrade is a FAIL.

timind · « **Reply #5 on:** 10 Feb 2012, 06:35 pm »

Since new and "improved" Audiogon implement I have sold one item and purchased one item. No issues there but still agree with Gopher's final paragraph.

mhconley · « **Reply #6 on:** 10 Feb 2012, 06:42 pm »

I had two listings active during Audiogon's downgrade flop-over... I completed sales for both outside their system and in-spite of Audiogon's best effort to sabotage them. I have written Audiogon management at least a half-dozen emails and have had ZERO response. I will never be back... I have had tremendous success on eBay and here on Audiocircle and that is where I'll do ALL of my buying and selling going forward.

Martin

grsimmon · « **Reply #7 on:** 10 Feb 2012, 07:01 pm »

I sold 3 items on the New Audiogon recently and had no problems, and actually liked some of the new features. BUT, hearing about virus/malware stuff is definitely disconcerting. Yikes, feels like maybe I caught an STD or something

Old timer · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 02:20 pm »

I've had a few warnings, myself. What concerns me more is that Audiogon was "The place" to buy and sell audio gear, ... It was the place where most of the decent quality gear was sold. Many small audio manufacturers depend upon Audiogon to sell their wares.

You can see the desperation by several of the manufacturers within the forums. Like the OTL amp guy from Minnesota that jumps on every thread that doesn't pertain to him. I believe that Audiogon is effecting our Industry, which is scary.

Hopefully other sites like this can take over and fill the void? But where? Where do you go to buy/sell gear now?????

carusoracer · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 02:44 pm »

Any security issues with IPhones and if so what are the ways to detect and remove?

Scott F. · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 02:54 pm »

This is a cross post I made from the Turntable Porn thread over in the Vinyl Circle.

I was on the 'Gon the other night and got hacked. What it's called it Click-jacking. basically they hide a malicious button under a pic that you click on. In my case I was looking at a tonearm. I clicked on the pic and immediately had a window popup that was spoofing me as if my computer was being scanned showing all sorts of viruses infecting my computer.

As I looked at what the screen said, I noticed that nowhere did this so called 'scan' have my virus software name listed. This spoof wanted me to upgrade my AV software by clicking their button. I didn't. I brought up Task Manager and terminated all suspect programs then restarted the computer in safe mode and ran my anti virus program.

After that I went to the Mozilla website and downloaded the NoScript add on for Foxfire. It forces you to accept any Javascript manually for every site you visit (that spoof was Java based).

Me personally, I probably won't be surfing AGon any more. Thats OK, I never bought anything from there anyway. I just like to look at whats on the market and sorta keep track of prices.

Be Warned! AGon IS infested with malicious software.

kgturner · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 02:57 pm »

Quote from: ptmconsulting on 10 Feb 2012, 05:38 pm

Caught the "Security Essentials" malware virus last week.

Ditto here as well. I didn't even browse on Audiogon, I just typed in their web address and BOOM, the trojan horse loaded once the front page came up. Worst of all, it was my work computer so I didn't have Admin privileges and could do nothing to remove it on my own. Had to call the IT guy to come fix it which took a day and a half. All he did was install Malwarebytes on it and run a scan.

Kevin T

G.Michael · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 03:54 pm »

Thanks, everyone, for the warnings. I have one active listing on Audiogon, and that ends today. I don't plan to list anything else, or to browse there anytime soon.

I haven't had any computer security problems with the Audiogon upgrade, but I did have a few $ on account that went poof. Audiogon has long looked like a one-man operation with minimal customer service, so the warnings were already there that this, uhm, upgrade wasn't going to go well.

sts9fan · « **Reply #13 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 04:50 pm »

There was a article in rolling stone awhile back about a guy who made tens of millions doing that. Just popped up fake scans and then sold crap antivirus software.

afranta · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 05:58 pm »

The redesign is such a disaster that it makes it look like there's no one minding the store. That's worrying. At this point, it seems like the only way to be sure of a quick response from the site admins is to start a thread criticizing the redesign (which will be deleted immediately).

On the plus side, it's made it much easier for me to stick to my no-more-gear New Year's resolution!

RPM123 · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 06:09 pm »

I've sold several items over the last 2 months (including one to Groovybassist) through AG with no issues. I use a MAC, so perhaps that explains it.

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 06:10 pm »

This trojan virus issue that was mentioned, what sort of OS was used to access the site? I have not experienced much issues with things like that in all my Mac/Apple devices. The only problem that I find is sporadic time out, failure to launch search result issues and the search feature in itself has become too finicky, in terms of you having the specific word, cap, feature match what was posted by the sellers to produce any sort of usable results.

soundbitten1 · « **Reply #17 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 08:19 pm »

Quote from: afranta on 11 Feb 2012, 05:58 pm

On the plus side, it's made it much easier for me to stick to my no-more-gear New Year's resolution!

I don't know if Audiogon is safe but I feel safer by not going there.

Joemamma · « **Reply #18 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 08:46 pm »

The last two times I have visited Audiogon my computer was infected with a virus. The security essentials virus is pretty nasty and when I contacted Audiogon I was given no reply or help. I have bought and sold many items with them and this lack of service was very dissapointing. Why is this happening?

Emil · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Feb 2012, 09:04 pm »

Beside the virus, its infected with scammers.
I just received an email from "Tammy" from the UK wanting to purchase my amp.