[kegsie]

I've just been had too. Seems to be some kind of hack related to FIFA 2011/2012 which is extra strange given that I haven't played a FIFA game since it was on the megadrive.

10,000 MS points bought and I cannot access my live account.

My card is stopped and I will gove Microsoft a ring later on but how are they letting this happen? Why on earth do they not ask for the 3 digit code on the back of my card each time I make a purchase?

On the plus side I have set up a new account so I can replay a lot of my older games and earn loads of new achievements again.

[poppycat]

I hope you get on better than I have, Kegsie!

I have set up another account for my son, I bought 3 months live sub from GAME, and also just bought him some MS points the same way. I will never have my card details held by them again.

[Hypnos]

I read somewhere today that EA's servers were hacked a while back, changed my EA login password just for saftey

[darkjedimaster]

Originally Posted by kegsie

I've just been had too. Seems to be some kind of hack related to FIFA 2011/2012 which is extra strange given that I haven't played a FIFA game since it was on the megadrive.

10,000 MS points bought and I cannot access my live account.

My card is stopped and I will gove Microsoft a ring later on but how are they letting this happen? Why on earth do they not ask for the 3 digit code on the back of my card each time I make a purchase?

On the plus side I have set up a new account so I can replay a lot of my older games and earn loads of new achievements again.

You are not the only one.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2...-purchases.ars

[ScubaSteve21]

And me to the list. Got an email saying I had purchased 5000 MS points (2 emails actually) yesterday and as I was at a wedding yesterday I didn't do anything. Tried go get on my Xbox this morning but said I had validate my account. Called Xbox and they are going to investigate but can take 25 days then another 10-30 days for refund. I'm so p*ssed off

[kegsie]

Got my money back by going straight to the bank.

My live account is still frozen though but as a non online player I'm not too bothered about that.

[ScubaSteve21]

I got another email this morning but this time from EA saying I had requested a reset of my password. Seems like someone is trying again. I have went to their site and changed my password manually.

Anyone got any tips on what I can do to help protect myself more?

[Asmo]

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve21

I got another email this morning but this time from EA saying I had requested a reset of my password. Seems like someone is trying again. I have went to their site and changed my password manually.

Anyone got any tips on what I can do to help protect myself more?

At least in your case it sounds like a 'social engineering' attack using information they have found about you elsewhere, see this story:

http://www.giantbomb.com/news/micros...ve-hacks/3746/

There's a link to EA's own post about security in it:

http://forum.ea.com/uk/posts/list/1029839.page

The jury's still out on whether all instances have the same source, but making sure your account password is complex, unique to that account and couldn't be guessed based on info about you elsewhere is a start.
It's a bad thing if anyone can associate your gamertag with any other info like your email address (the one you use on your xbox account) just by googling. It only takes a few pieces of info for them to spoof their way into getting hold of your account.

[NorfolkBoy1]

WOW, imagine the seething rage that would abound if this had been happening on PSN!

*returns to beneath nearest bridge*

[SPARKIE1984]

I had this a while back, MS support is unite frankly pathetic!!!!

absoloutely useless, my thread is on here somewhere about it..

[Speedloafer]

No way would I leave my card deatails on my xbox.

Also your account was most likely sold on. You can buy an account with 10,000 points for about 18-22 USD.

People buy them for FIFA 12 open loads of packs of cards to try and get players to build their team with (Ultimate Team) and transfer them over to their main account and then dump the account.

[poppycat]

Still not got this sorted out yet, from August!

I've been told on the phone today that I will now get my £51 back, and had an email saying I've been refunded so will need to keep an eye on my bank account to see if it actually materializes.

They are still not budging on the ban, and I'm pretty much at a dead end with fighting that one.

If it wasn't my son who would lose out, I'd quite happily tell Microsoft exactly where they can stick their Xbox. But as it stands, my son has a new account, and his Live sub will be paid using prepaid cards from Game as they are not getting their hands on my cc details ever again.

[Asmo]

Originally Posted by poppycat

If it wasn't my son who would lose out, I'd quite happily tell Microsoft exactly where they can stick their Xbox. But as it stands, my son has a new account, and his Live sub will be paid using prepaid cards from Game as they are not getting their hands on my cc details ever again.

It'd probably be wise to alert him to the dangers of the emerging 'social engineering' attacks too - they can be subtle, like someone befriending him in online play and getting too much info - like the same email address he uses for the MS/EA accounts. Or any click-thru offers that are very inviting. You can bet if it happened once..........

[poppycat]

Originally Posted by Asmo

It'd probably be wise to alert him to the dangers of the emerging 'social engineering' attacks too - they can be subtle, like someone befriending him in online play and getting too much info - like the same email address he uses for the MS/EA accounts. Or any click-thru offers that are very inviting. You can bet if it happened once..........

oh yes, we've certainly had that conversation!

When we set up his replacement account, I made sure that only I know the password, so he can't inadvertently give it out to anyone. He doesn't have an EA account though, but he knows not to give out his email address under any circumstances and he can't give out the password even if he wanted to.

[XxBlaKOuTZxX]

its best to go the pre-paid route. u read so many posts of users having their accounts hacked and points bought using stolen cc details

[CaptnSpaulding]

My son's account just got hacked tonight too. Had two emails from paypal for transactions to Microsoft for £42.50 each for 4200 MS Points.

Microsoft and Paypal are shut, so I rang my bank and they cancelled my card. Went on Xbox Online Chat and someone told me to change password, enable 'other console password' on the xbox then re-download the profile and to ring them in the morning.

Funny thing is though, I then noticed an email asking to confirm a new email address on Live/Hotmail. Obviously I declined. Next think I know my Paypal has £81.91 - a refund from Microsoft. There is £5 missing which apparently are Paypal fees on refunds. I quickly sent the balance to my mum's Paypal as my bank card is cancelled.

In a way I'm glad I got most of my money back but pissed that this happened to my son. I've removed all payment methods from his account.

Damn hackers!

[steven1977]

Originally Posted by TechnoGeek

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/...sole.html#more

Why would she waste 170 quid on a ps3 for a kid. Kids that age dont deserve em make em save up.

I do wish ps3, 360 would have a 16 age rating on them.

[Speedloafer]

Originally Posted by CaptnSpaulding

My son's account just got hacked tonight too. Had two emails from paypal for transactions to Microsoft for £42.50 each for 4200 MS Points.

Microsoft and Paypal are shut, so I rang my bank and they cancelled my card. Went on Xbox Online Chat and someone told me to change password, enable 'other console password' on the xbox then re-download the profile and to ring them in the morning.

Funny thing is though, I then noticed an email asking to confirm a new email address on Live/Hotmail. Obviously I declined. Next think I know my Paypal has £81.91 - a refund from Microsoft. There is £5 missing which apparently are Paypal fees on refunds. I quickly sent the balance to my mum's Paypal as my bank card is cancelled.

In a way I'm glad I got most of my money back but pissed that this happened to my son. I've removed all payment methods from his account.

Damn hackers!

I take it you changed your paypal account password too?

[XxBlaKOuTZxX]

Originally Posted by steven1977

Why would she waste 170 quid on a ps3 for a kid. Kids that age dont deserve em make em save up.

I do wish ps3, 360 would have a 16 age rating on them.

Y would u want to have age restrictions when it comes to buying a console. Lots of kids have them. My son is 8 and has his own console. Lots of kids do.

[Ladyxxmacbeth]

both my sons have xbox oine with live one without, they do say that it is for 18s and over I believe but like facebook people ignore it

[ToomaMcC]

Originally Posted by XxBlaKOuTZxX

Y would u want to have age restrictions when it comes to buying a console. Lots of kids have them. My son is 8 and has his own console. Lots of kids do.

Because if you look at his posting history he is a miserable git.

Infact had most of us not had consoles when we were kids we probably wouldn't love them as much now.

[Speedloafer]

Nothing wrong with letting kids of any age play or own a console, but letting your kid go online into an adult lobby is completely different.

[XxBlaKOuTZxX]

Originally Posted by Speedloafer

Nothing wrong with letting kids of any age play or own a console, but letting your kid go online into an adult lobby is completely different.

That's why I like the family settings and private settings on the 360. I know that he's safe while he's online and that he cannot message or be messaged by people outside his friends list. I would never allow my son to go online unsupervised. No matter which platform your using, The risks are always going to be there. I was shocked when I read an article about "sexual predators" targeting kids on XBL and PSN.