The State Bar of California has issued an alert warning of a fraudulent complaint email being sent in their name. In an emailed statement this morning (June 8, 2016), the California State Bar said that it had received numerous inquiries about the email that supposedly had come from them, going out to members of the California bar.

Did you get a message recently across the top of your Gmail account that says “Warning: We believe state-sponsored attackers may be attempting to compromise your account or computer. Protect yourself now”? Worried that someone may have hacked your Google or Gmail account? Read on…

Ok, sure, it makes perfect sense, but still we were surprised to learn that a state entity – in this case the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and more specifically the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of General Services State Surplus Property Division – not only sells things on eBay, but is a genuine, bona fide eBay power seller. With 869 positive feedback responses in the past year, five neutral, and four negative.