Online auctioneer eBay is to dump an anti-fraud email hotline. The SafeHarbor service is a channel for reporting suspicious activity or specific fraud complaints, and is to be replaced with an online form.

But eBay is only telling customers who email the safeharbor@ebay.com address and have no plans for a wider announcement. The email address will not be available after 15 May.

"Instead, all SafeHarbor queries should be sent using our online Contact Rules & Safety web form," said the letter.

Auction experts say that the form limits the way customers can report fraud on the site and could effectively prevent clients getting in touch with eBay.

The company does not list a phone number anywhere on its site.

An eBay spokesperson claimed that the new form was meant to help organise customer inquiries by sending emails to the right department.