I would agree that usually a message containing a link is a fake. Also, I would add, do not click on the link as it could activate a worm or trojan horse virus that might embed itself into your system and steal passwords etc. Make sure your Virus software (definitions) are updated and that you have Anti-Virus software installed.

However, I recently had my account suspended by ebay, for a very similar circumstance except they wouldn't tell me what action was taken with my account, and received a similar message that did contain a link that was legitimate.

My email was official but the cautious person I am, I made note of the location that the link and mail proposed to be and went to eBay.com myself and navigated around until I confirmed that it was a legitimate link. I didn't click on the link itself. If you can't confirm the identity of the link don't click it.

My suggestion if you want to confirm the email is to navigate through to the eBay Fraud department, as is mentioned in the bottom of the mail. Send them an email and inquire re: authenticity. Or, go to Live Help and get a CS rep to help you. I had very bad service trying to communicate through email. I had to wait some time (2 days) for email reply that never came. I went to live help and waited again, (45 minutes) for a CS rep which, while a long wait, got me quicker satisfaction in the long run. I waited online about 45 minutes to get Live Help.

One thing that does make me suspicious is that my account was suspended because they suspected that someone had compromised my account. They never sent me such an email as you got. Just a suspension notice. They told me that they suspected that somone had gotten my password and suspended my account (froze it) to protect me and confirm my identity. While on LIVE HELP they asked me a simple question about past eBay activity and confirmed that I was me. Another reason you might want to keep records of your ebay transactions. I referred back to email but unfortunately the question involved activity from when my computer crashed and involved lost records. I really had to search my memory which luckily yeilded the correct response. Then they sent me, via email, a special link where I could change my password.

I would think that if they were at all consistant they would have suspended your account as they did mine, then have you reactivate it and create a new password. Because of that I would be highly suspicious of the mail that you got. It doesn't seem consistant with other experience.