Account stealing, am I safe?

ashabine
ashabine Posts: 0 Arc User
edited February 2014 in General Discussion
Hello.

I'm unsure if this is the correct place to post this, but if it isn't it can always be moved.
This is regarding account stealing. I know that using the same password and username on phishing sites and faction websites is an easy way to get your account stolen, but are there other ways of accounts being **** by someone?

My friend had been **** by an unknown person, after a couple weeks, the person disappeared, the **** account was no longer seen, I am assuming that the account was banned. Recently this person has **** yet another person, a +12 seeker. This person is an outright *** that kills anyone on sight, so, as payback for hacking my friend, and farming random lowbies for no reason, I kill them and ensure they are kept inside safe zone as long as I am around.

I have one concern. Is my account safe? Is there other possible ways of my account being **** by this unknown person? The fact he's taken 2 +12 characters from people does sort of put me on edge. Thanks in advance to any responses.
Post edited by ashabine on

Comments

  • Mayfly - Dreamweaver
    Mayfly - Dreamweaver Posts: 6,094 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    Never, ever, share your account details with others, and you're 90%+ safe. If you're paranoid, change your password frequently.
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  • SoniMax - Sanctuary
    SoniMax - Sanctuary Posts: 529 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    No1 is safe imo my acc got "stolen" like 1-2 years ago and i had not registered on any phishing site nor had i shared the password i had with any1. The mistake i did was i used the same password for my email too.
    IDk how the person who changed my pass and stole everything tradable on my chars got it but all i can tell you is PWI did nothing; hundreds of milion of items stolen and the ticket reply i got was that they were legitimately traded and they cant do anything.
    So whatever you do chose the hardest passwords you can think of to prevent it; capital letters, symbols,chinese,cyrilic everything that is hard to guess. and even that might not work :S
    The one who stole the acc was better than the PWI staff he/she made the password same as it as before the next day :D
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  • Lolgasmic - Raging Tide
    Lolgasmic - Raging Tide Posts: 1,315 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    Never had any of my accounts lost, stolen, or shared with anyone.

    This one time though, a clan mate shared me HIS account to finish a quest he needed to wear rune chestplates. I kept telling him it was easy... but he insisted, so eventually i did the quest for him. Year passed and i quit the game, and i logged onto MY account... Got bored and then i remembered about him. So i tried logging on his account with his old details (that i remembered, not written down lol) and viola! Logged on! So i casually tell the people in his new clan to tell the owner he should change his password next time he logs on... they were all mad at me too... bunch of kids. Threatening to report me.


    The f- would reporting the account that im helping protect in any way be a threat to me? That is literally shooting yourself in the foot.
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  • Angel_Spawn - Sanctuary
    Angel_Spawn - Sanctuary Posts: 3,034 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    I have been online gaming for some 15 years + and never been "****", never share your account credentials to any1 even friends, your friends may be secure but their PC`s may not, never visit any sites offering something for free (free is only cheese in the mousetrap and to the 2nd mouse...), don`t game from net cafes, most people lose their stuff there, and if you are just being paranoid, bind your stuff, provided it`s worth binding in the 1st place.
  • SylenThunder - Twilight Temple
    edited February 2014
    Truly, it's is extraordinarily rare that an account gets "****".

    Most of the time it's either someone you know that you've either shared your information with, or your information is easy enough for them to figure out. The other methods are phishing sites keyloggers, and other viral methods.

    Anyone running around without good security software is pretty much asking for something to happen.

    Practice good account security by changing your password regularly, using long and complex passwords, and by not reusing passwords on like accounts. Don't follow e-mails or sites that you aren't 100% are legit, and use adblockers and other malware protection.

    Then you won't have to worry about it. I've had one of my email accounts hijacked before, it took be about 3 days to realize it, and the only thing affected was that e-mail account.
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  • Verenor - Morai
    Verenor - Morai Posts: 699 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    Truly, it's is extraordinarily rare that an account gets "****".

    Most of the time it's either someone you know that you've either shared your information with, or your information is easy enough for them to figure out. The other methods are phishing sites keyloggers, and other viral methods.

    Anyone running around without good security software is pretty much asking for something to happen.

    Practice good account security by changing your password regularly, using long and complex passwords, and by not reusing passwords on like accounts. Don't follow e-mails or sites that you aren't 100% are legit, and use adblockers and other malware protection.

    Then you won't have to worry about it. I've had one of my email accounts hijacked before, it took be about 3 days to realize it, and the only thing affected was that e-mail account.

    A friend of mine that has played this game at the start (5years ago), took a break for 2 years, came back again and had a few lv100 toons. He went away from the game a bit playing something else while playing pwi casually on the side.
    Last week his account got **** (he didn't go to any other site, nor tried something sketchy), everything was gone including the toon itself as if it was never there. He ofcourse send in a ticket with a buttload of evidence that that toon was his with transactions and what not. Support centre asked him what the answer was to his security question, but the question they asked he never used as security question. Pwi in turn saying that was impossible and declined restoration/access to his account.
    Hacking account's is a possibility, wether it be phising or keyloggers. Even then that part of PWI's customer service is as useless as an oilspil is when you're tieing your shoelaces.
  • SylenThunder - Twilight Temple
    edited February 2014
    A friend of mine that has played this game at the start (5years ago), took a break for 2 years, came back again and had a few lv100 toons. He went away from the game a bit playing something else while playing pwi casually on the side.
    Last week his account got **** (he didn't go to any other site, nor tried something sketchy), everything was gone including the toon itself as if it was never there. He ofcourse send in a ticket with a buttload of evidence that that toon was his with transactions and what not. Support centre asked him what the answer was to his security question, but the question they asked he never used as security question. Pwi in turn saying that was impossible and declined restoration/access to his account.
    Hacking account's is a possibility, wether it be phising or keyloggers. Even then that part of PWI's customer service is as useless as an oilspil is when you're tieing your shoelaces.
    I didn't say it wasn't possible, it's just extremely rare.

    A good 98% of the time someone out here claims they were ****, they later discovered that it was actually a friend, relative, faction mate, or invasive software.

    The better you practice good security, the less likely it is that you will be a victim.
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  • Fissile - Archosaur
    Fissile - Archosaur Posts: 607 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    Use a safe code and keep anything of value either equipped or in the bank.
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  • Roseador - Sanctuary
    Roseador - Sanctuary Posts: 5 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    Never had any of my accounts lost, stolen, or shared with anyone.

    This one time though, a clan mate shared me HIS account to finish a quest he needed to wear rune chestplates. I kept telling him it was easy... but he insisted, so eventually i did the quest for him. Year passed and i quit the game, and i logged onto MY account... Got bored and then i remembered about him. So i tried logging on his account with his old details (that i remembered, not written down lol) and viola! Logged on! So i casually tell the people in his new clan to tell the owner he should change his password next time he logs on... they were all mad at me too... bunch of kids. Threatening to report me.


    The f- would reporting the account that im helping protect in any way be a threat to me? That is literally shooting yourself in the foot.

    Good guy Lolgasmic, only trying to be helpful but chased liked a witch in Salem.
    I feel for you man.

    But things like account theft is why Account Sharing is against the ToS, because if your account gets stolen because of such methods it is your own fault and PWE won't do anything to help. Well they wouldn't reguardless, but yeah.
  • Tindie - Harshlands
    Tindie - Harshlands Posts: 163 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    where security lock isnt really that helpfull tbh aginst acount theft..

    if you feel your going to be gone for an extended peirod of time and want to make sure your stuff is safe ..you know..just in case..

    we all have access to one more saftey feature that is worth while.. and that is a safe pass word..

    if you have important things that you want to keep safe this is just one more method to help prevent items you want to keep safe..safe..

    granted "if" your account is legitly "Cracked" because hacking and cracking are 2 very different things.. if somone managed to "Crack" your acount. they would then have to "crack" your safe pass word as well. so really it could take them years to figure out 2 well thought out passwords. just an extra thought of caution . Have fun in game and Good Adventure's.
  • Evryn - Morai
    Evryn - Morai Posts: 1,437 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    Some tips:
    - Use a strong password. "Hell0" is not a strong password.
    - Do not use the same password for your game account and other services you use. Small variances help. IE "Th1s1smyp@ssword-pwi" using the -pwi suffix makes your password unique.
    - Don't share your account, ever.
    - Using botting programs and the likes is begging for your account and any other accounts you use on that PC to be compromised. Those applications require you to interface the application with the cheating program and that means that cheating program has access to your account - and the guys writing them (or, more often, the guys distributing them) often make use of that. I'm convinced that a lot of the grief from stolen accounts comes from people trying their hand at cheating applications.
    - Make sure you have a virusscanner on your computer. If your system isn't fast enough to handle an on-access scanner, at least do a periodic scan of your harddrives to make sure no trojans are present.
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  • Tindie - Harshlands
    Tindie - Harshlands Posts: 163 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    Some tips:
    - Use a strong password. "Hell0" is not a strong password.
    - Do not use the same password for your game account and other services you use. Small variances help. IE "Th1s1smyp@ssword-pwi" using the -pwi suffix makes your password unique.
    - Don't share your account, ever.
    - Using botting programs and the likes is begging for your account and any other accounts you use on that PC to be compromised. Those applications require you to interface the application with the cheating program and that means that cheating program has access to your account - and the guys writing them (or, more often, the guys distributing them) often make use of that. I'm convinced that a lot of the grief from stolen accounts comes from people trying their hand at cheating applications.
    - Make sure you have a virusscanner on your computer. If your system isn't fast enough to handle an on-access scanner, at least do a periodic scan of your harddrives to make sure no trojans are present.

    that is very good advice as well.. and i agree 100% that alot of acounts are being compromised this way. +1
  • Kittysama - Raging Tide_1432680721
    edited February 2014
    Like many have already said, never ever share your personal passwords and account details. Not even with your hubby. Also never lend your gears to anyone unless you know them irl(and you're able to revenge well in case they're untrustworthy in the end).

    There's been a sad case in which Kitty paid hard when she trusted someone who had shared account with boyfriend(and ofc didn't bother to mention about that) and Kitty lent some expensive gear pieces Kitty's friend had given for Kitty to safeguard(and Kitty's friend was also good friend of this someone).

    Result: That someone breaking up with her BF, BF taking over the accounts and bounding the gears Kitty had lent due to not knowing those gears were loaned. A Warsoul and Cube G13 neck lost.

    Kitty's somehow managed to compensate that over time to her friend by farming, helping in things and even cashshopping(which Kitty hardly ever does). Kitty still feels like being in debt as those weren't cheap.

    Let that story be a warning example.
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  • WannaBM - Archosaur
    WannaBM - Archosaur Posts: 1,984 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    Its not about what is possible because pretty much anything is possible. If hackers can get into well secured government or corporate systems, obviously it is also possible to **** a gaming account / server.

    Fortunately most wont take the effort to go that far. Some things that i can think off:

    1-Build a website that you might log into with the same password.
    2-Make some piece of software (cheats/hacks/bots usually) that you might download to **** your PC.
    3-Brute force your password if its a simple one.
    4-**** an existing website that you might log into with the same password.
    5-Find out your IP and target you personally by any means available to the hacker.

    Using a complicated and unique password (not to be used on any other websites/games) will rule out 1, 3, 4.

    Using your brains and not downloading bullcrap, opening mail from unknown senders and clicking links that arent proven trustworthy will greatly reduce the risk of 2.

    Using anti virus/firewall stuff will almost eliminate the risk of 2 and greatly reduce the risk of 5.

    risk Nr5 can never be totally eliminated but its not so easy and those who can do this even if you have firewalls and virusscanners probably have better things to do than bother with some game. In the case of OP there is always a little reason to fear a hacker i think. All the standard methods depend on rather simple mistakes and if the "hacker" is just in it for his own profit without caring whom he targets, it will usually be those who make the most or stupidest mistakes who will get ****. When it becomes personal however, the sky is the limit. It just depends if its a real hacker with skills or just some kid that learned a few tricks.
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  • MissCherie - Harshlands
    MissCherie - Harshlands Posts: 468 Arc User
    edited February 2014
    100% of people that got ''****'' that I know they all shared info at some point, a guy even got **** by his own in real life brother, some by their wife/hubby or BFF. I saw stories in PWI... some people that did broke in real life friendships of years for a few coins in game, people that did knew each other before even play the game.

    I don't understand people that need to absolutely share accounts, would you give your PIN to your friends? To someone that you're dating since 1 week? No. (unless you are really stupid)

    Well people do it in game, then cry ''YES BUT SHE WAS MY BFF I TRUSTED HER''.

    I asked to people why they give your info to a pixel girl/boy? Some said ''Well my (in game) wife told me that if I don't give her my info that mean I don't trust her''... than tell her to go away, giving info away is not and shouldn't be use as ''I want to prove him/her that I trust him/her''.

    I live with my boyfriend since 3 years, I don't have his info, he don't have mine, not cause we don't trust each other, cause we don't have that obsession to play each other char.

    Don't trust anybody, don't give your info to anyone, even if you know them irl.

    And yes some people have stupid passwords like ''password'' ''1234'' and I truly know people using that kind of passwords.

    For passwords people should use letters, numbers and caps. For username, never use a username that you will use as in game name, your username doesn't need to be pretty, no one is suppose to see it except yourself, also numbers, letters, caps in that too (not all games allow that, but if it's allowed do it).

    For both username and password don't use something that someone could find if they know you, example: if you love hockey don't use that as username or password and pls when you marry in game don't use your wife/hubby in game name as password. (I saw that recently, someone got ''****'', he had as password his in game ex-wife name. Never use your in game wife/hubby as password)

    Also other advices:

    Don't use the same password, username, email for everything.

    Use 2-3 emails, one for professional/personal stuff, one for gaming stuff and if needed a third one for the rest, stuff like forums or to give to in game friends to keep contact.

    Don't give your real Facebook if you have a ton of info on it. (some people have phone number, address, email etc on their Facebook which is a lot of info for a potential hacker)

    Same with Skype, be sure there's no personal info on it.

    Don't enter any info of your account on any sites if it's not the official, if PWI decide to give away free stuff they will say it here, even if your BFF/wife/hubby pm you in game saying to go check don't go, chance are that it's the hacker is doing the FL and guild list pming everyone to **** more people.

    Also for PWI don't use the same pass for the bank, gears etc...

    That make a lot of names, emails, passwords etc... but you can just write it down on a paper.
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