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My PSN account just got hacked

N

nicholasbrutal

Epic Games PR Manager
Yeah, this happened to me randomly on Sunday, October 20th. It was for a FIFA 14 purchase on PSN. I got the confirmation out of the blue, without any sort of "password change" warning. I received the message while packing to go on a mini-vacation with my family, and was actually sitting in front of my PlayStation 3 and television, both of them turned off.

In any event, after immediately changing my password, I let it go for two days while I was out of town, and managed to chat with a customer service rep online on Tuesday. I had explained my situation and then was told the issue would be investigated, that they don't generally offer refunds on digital purchases, and they would get back to me in 2-4 days with the verdict.

That didn't seem promising, but in less than 24 hours I received an email stating I'd be granted a refund within 2-4 days.

We have reviewed your case and as a one time gesture of goodwill we have approved your refund in the amount of 59.99. Please allow us 3-5 business days in order to finalize your refund and return the funds back to your PSN Wallet/Credit Card.
Click to expand...

Appreciate their "goodwill" in being accountable for their customers and fraud, I guess. Glad it got resolved and quickly. Sorry to hear you continue to have issues; it's a crappy situation to be in, and it should be something that's easily resolved. I'd continue to press on them about it via phone calls, chats, and such, until it's resolved. If you don't have a history of asking for refunds, it seems like a customer friendly thing to just offer you the refund without asking additional questions.

Good luck!
 
S

Shaneus

Member
Man, that is a relief to hear... not only about getting a refund (obviously that's the best, though!), but that it's actually happening to more than just one or two people. Do you mind if I quote what you said to the support people in an email? If you're able to PM me some kind of case number or something I might be able to use, that'd be incredibly useful as well (again, if you don't mind me having that info, not that it's that identifiable or whatever).

Glad it worked out for you!
 
J

Jedi2016

Member
I don't think I've booted mine in the last few days.. might as well tonight just to make sure.

But it'd be hats off to any hacker that managed to guess my password. It takes me about a full minute to enter it in when I've got it right in front of me. And more importantly, that password is unique, I don't use it anywhere else.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
Hanmik said:
hmm. I remember some months ago when I shared a game with a friend, that when I locked onto his account it asked me for the 3 digit number on his creditcard.
Click to expand...

You can't use credit cards on different machines without reauthenticating, but that's not what people are talking about when they say two-factor authentication.
 
J

JustProgress

Member
This happened to me today. 150$ all towards FIFA and FIFA points. Don't know how it happened, but I promptly changed password and added a PIN.

Sony said they'll refund it so that's good.
 
S

Shaneus

Member
Fucking shitting me, right? Must just be the Euro/Australian ones that are complete and utter idiots.

Would you mind PMing me the case number or the wording of the email (or better still, both) to take to my guys? Okay if not, but I'd like to have something to take to them.
 
S

Shaneus

Member
PjJzZNo.png

Bah. Not sure what else I can do, unless the guys in this thread who had the same problem (and received a refund) can pass me along a case number or something to pass onto Sony (if that would even work, I don't know. At this stage they seem to want to do everything in their power to NOT give me a refund). Knowing that other people received refunds so easily stings even more.
 
Y

Yagharek

Member
Its like talking to a brick wall. Sony Australia are a bunch of frauds.

Even more frustrating is that other people in other regions seem to get treated as they should, but in Australia they tell you to fuck off.

Maybe chat to choc since he used to work for sony, maybe he knows a trick or two to dealing with their shitty customer service
 
E

endlessflood

Member
Shaneus said:
PjJzZNo.png

Bah. Not sure what else I can do, unless the guys in this thread who had the same problem (and received a refund) can pass me along a case number or something to pass onto Sony (if that would even work, I don't know. At this stage they seem to want to do everything in their power to NOT give me a refund). Knowing that other people received refunds so easily stings even more.
Click to expand...

Get http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au involved (or whoever the equivalent is for your state) immediately. It takes them a few weeks before they even bother looking at it, so the sooner you get them involved the better. Mention that money was taken from your account entrusted to Sony, and mention the PSN outage where customer details were definitely compromised and it was admitted by Sony as proof that they're not careful with customer data.

Once you have a fair trading involved, Sony will actually listen to what you say because fair trading can make their life miserable. That's not to say it will work, but is probably your best course of action.
 
O

oconnomiyaki

Member
Sony Down Under are fucking useless. I tried to add my credit card information to my account and it wouldn't let me because I have an apostrophe in my name. Customer service basically told me to fuck off.

Suppose it means that no one can hijack my account and start charging me, though.
 
S

Shaneus

Member
endlessflood said:
Get http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au involved (or whoever the equivalent is for your state) immediately. It takes them a few weeks before they even bother looking at it, so the sooner you get them involved the better. Mention that money was taken from your account entrusted to Sony, and mention the PSN outage where customer details were definitely compromised and it was admitted by Sony as proof that they're not careful with customer data.

Once you have a fair trading involved, Sony will actually listen to what you say because fair trading can make their life miserable. That's not to say it will work, but is probably your best course of action.
Click to expand...
I've already raised it with the ACCC so we'll see what will happen from there, but from some accounts they may be as useful as as a wet towel. I'm hoping not, but we'll have to see.

Donutta said:
Sony Down Under are fucking useless. I tried to add my credit card information to my account and it wouldn't let me because I have an apostrophe in my name. Customer service basically told me to fuck off.

Suppose it means that no one can hijack my account and start charging me, though.
Click to expand...
Pro tip: Don't add any funds to your Sony wallet via a prepaid card ;)
 
DC1

DC1

Member
JustProgress said:
This happened to me today. 150$ all towards FIFA and FIFA points. Don't know how it happened, but I promptly changed password and added a PIN.

Sony said they'll refund it so that's good.
Click to expand...
Dang FIFA! No one is safe. I'm sure MS/Sony is talking to EA about this.

Does anyone know if the trade functionality (that opens this type of risk) is an option in the next few en versions
 
D

Dead Man

Member
Shaneus said:
I've already raised it with the ACCC so we'll see what will happen from there, but from some accounts they may be as useful as as a wet towel. I'm hoping not, but we'll have to see.


Pro tip: Don't add any funds to your Sony wallet via a prepaid card ;)
Click to expand...

ACCC are useless, and they are so by intention, federal government has always caved to busniess pressure, try this mob maybe: http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/businesses/fair-trading
 
K

Krammy

Member
So we still don't know how this is happening? When it was going around Xbox, I could've sworn I heard it was some issue with Windows Hotmail/Live/whatever security, and that it got patched pretty promptly once the word got out to media sites and blogs.

To those getting hacked, what kind of email is tied to your PlayStation Network account?
 
J

JORMBO

Darkness no more
This happened to me the other week. My password was 14 characters long with symbols, numbers and all that fun stuff. I have only ever used that password on my Vita. I have no idea how it was hacked. They changed my password AND my email. I was able to get it changed back over on the phone quickly with support.

I do not have credit card info on the account. I did have $35 worth of PSN credit, but they did not spend it.


Netherscourge said:
Before people start blaming Sony...


1. The password reset requires Email confirmation.

2. Which means, the "hacker" needs your Email account password TOO in order to make the password reset.

3. Which means this is not a SONY issue - YOU are compromised. Someone has BOTH your SONY ID and your Email ID credentials.

.
Click to expand...

This is false. There was no email confirmation sent when they changed my password. When I got my account back and changed it myself there was also no confirmation. Both times I got an email stating my password had been changed, and to contact Sony if I had not been the one to change it. I was shocked there is no email confirmation when changing the password like most sites.

Here is the email:
Sony Entertainment Network Password Change Notification

This e-mail confirms that the password for your Sony Entertainment Network account has been changed.

If you did not intend to change your password, please contact Customer Service using the link provided below.
Click to expand...

Sony Entertainment Network Sign-In ID Change Notification

This e-mail confirms that the Sign-In ID (E-mail Address) for your Sony Entertainment Network account has been changed.

If you did not intend to change your Sign-In ID, please contact Customer Service using the link provided below.

Thank you,
The Sony Entertainment Network Team
Click to expand...
 
S

Shaneus

Member
Krammy said:
So we still don't know how this is happening? When it was going around Xbox, I could've sworn I heard it was some issue with Windows Hotmail/Live/whatever security, and that it got patched pretty promptly once the word got out to media sites and blogs.

To those getting hacked, what kind of email is tied to your PlayStation Network account?
Click to expand...
Gmail on this one, similar username (but not the same) as my PSN ID. Completely different passwords.

I'm still completely stumped as to how they were able to get access to it. But hey, at least Sony know the serial numbers of the consoles registered to my account when the packs were purchased!
 
E

Elixist

Member
sry to hear you got fifa'd . Happened to me on 360 and it was a bad experience, havent bought anything digitally on it since.
 
R

Raxus

Member
I got hacked on the 19th as well. I need to call support to get a refund still.

What a headache. I am never putting points on my PSN account ever again.
 
S

Shaneus

Member
Jesus man, sorry to hear that. Let me know how you get along (and if you get along well, what region you're in... love to know whether the sheer cuntery that I've encountered is exclusive to Australia, Sony Europe or wherever).
 
C

crispyben

Member
I got the same email as Darkness last night, but I don't know what to make of it...


  • It was for one of my other accounts, not my main one, so I didn't use it since I created it in 2008.
  • I created it in French, with a French street adress, but the e-mail I got was in English.
  • The e-mail came from PlayStationNetwork@ac.playstation.net, which doesn't seem to be a valid web domain, but it contained valid links to us.playstation.com, and the sender IP is 173.230.215.145 which seems connected to Sony.
  • I could see two recipients for that e-mail, one of which was the e-mail I used to sign up but with an added dot in the middle, which Gmail sees as the same.
  • My name is not Lance!
Dear Lance,

This e-mail confirms that the sign-in ID (E-mail Address) for your Sony Entertainment Network account has been changed.

If you did not intend to change your sign-in ID, contact Consumer Services for further assistance.

http://www.us.playstation.com/corporate/contactus/


Thank you.

The Sony Entertainment Network Team


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail message has been delivered from a send-only address. Please do not reply to this message. For more information about your account, please visit the links below.

Support:

http://www.us.playstation.com/corporate/contactus/

Terms of Use and Privacy Policy:
http://www.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/legal/
Click to expand...
  • When I checked the account from an official Sony page, it gave the password reset prompt that I got on my main account after the PSN hack in 2011, and I managed to change it, so I guess this was more of a phishing attempt, but as I said, I don't know what to make of it...
 
C

crispyben

Member
Shaneus said:
Were you able to log back in? Any purchases on your account?
Click to expand...
Yes, I was prompted to change the password in the post-PSN hack-way for my "dotless" sign-in ID, but I don't have an account for the "dotted" e-mail adress the message was sent to. There are no purchases on the account I logged into.
 
C

crispyben

Member
I got the same e-mail two hours ago, except the other recipient's e-mail address is different, and displayed by Gmail as belonging to a guy actually named Lance! I wonder what's going on here...
 
iceatcs

iceatcs

Junior Member
Look like a hacker/phisher attempt to take your account again.

Better remove your CC detail if it is in there. And of course, call Sony about it.
 
C

crispyben

Member
iceatcs said:
Look like a hacker/phisher attempt to take your account again.

Better remove your CC detail if it is in there. And of course, call Sony about it.
Click to expand...
My details were never on there, the account's empty, and technically, the sign-in ID (e-mail address) is not even mine. It just gets in my inbox because Gmail doesn't treat the periods as a differentiator between accounts: crispy.ben@gmail is the same as crispyben@gmail.com for Gmail, but not for Sony.
 
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