I was hacked!

[anneed]

Had email from the Microsoft support team yesterday evening to say there had been 'unusual log in activity' on my hotmail account. They had frozen the account and blocked all the suspect messages which had been sent during the day. I had to get a special security code via my phone (yes, the dreaded smart phone) and then inspect the 'challenged' messages. I clicked on one and, although it didn't reveal the contents, it showed it had been sent from somewhere near Glasgow (I had been in Hampshire all day).

I clicked on 'This wasn't me' and was then directed to change my password. Which I did, from a recklessly easy-to-crack one to something more secure. I've also run a scan for viruses and malicious software but it came up all clear.

My heart was in my mouth as I checked my bank account. I was terrified the Glaswegian fraudster might have robbed me blind but thank goodness all seems to be OK.

Has this happened to anyone else? I am so grateful that the Microsoft security people acted fast and stopped the fraudulent activity. I was wondering how they knew it wasn't me, after all I could have been visiting Scotland. I wondered if they could somehow tell that my laptop was still in Hampshire - and that so was I by tracking my phone's location.

[Quizzical Bob]

I don't think that was Microsoft!

Whetever you do, don't click on any links they send you, always type in the address yourself. I would act on this straight away.

[Silver_Shiney]

QB's right, you've been hacked and scammed. Report this to your bank as well in case of future dodgy doings. Might also be worth looking at getting a new phone number.

[Manoverboard]

Also to change ( again ) your Hotmail Account password plus your Bank Account password ... ensuring of course that the two passwords are entirely different.

[JillD66]

Hope you've managed to sort everything out. Its such a worry in these days. A friend of mine received a phone call from "Microsoft" and in fact was well along the line of following their instructions, accessing the computer before he realised it was a scam to gain info.

The incident was actually reported to the police and a reference number given. I think the friend had actually logged the number of the caller and passed this on to the police. People often assume that the police cannot help and fail to report incidents.

[Quizzical Bob]

Hope you've managed to sort everything out. Its such a worry in these days. A friend of mine received a phone call from "Microsoft" and in fact was well along the line of following their instructions, accessing the computer before he realised it was a scam to gain info.

The incident was actually reported to the police and a reference number given. I think the friend had actually logged the number of the caller and passed this on to the police. People often assume that the police cannot help and fail to report incidents.

These calls are well known and come from a suburb of Delhi.

[Silver_Shiney]

My SIL fielded such a call and advised the scammer that all the computers used here are Apples (they're not) and the twit tried to convince SIL that the security problem applied to Apples as well as Windows-based machines. Unfortunately SIL (an MSc in Computer Science) was busy at the time, otherwise he would have strung the scammer along for a while. It does worry me that these people will find someone gullible and fleece them.

[The Tinker]

Yes - its a shame that people get tricked. I always ask them how they got my number and inform them I don't actually have a computer - the phone goes straight down.

[Boris+]

Well I hope it's all sorted out now - and that you don't get nabbed again Anne.

We don't get many 'bad' phone calls, but recently we've had a load of emails pretending to have come from people we know - but so far (fingers and toes crossed) we haven't been done!

As far as the phone calls are concerned, when people ring us (and it's not many times per year) and say it's something to do with computers, we say that we are working in the office of the Government Computer Fraud Squad. The calls don't last long.

I realise it might have left a nasty uneasy feeling Anne, but here's hoping that it doesn't happen again.

[allatc]

Yes - its a shame that people get tricked. I always ask them how they got my number and inform them I don't actually have a computer - the phone goes straight down.

I have a phone line that doesn't have a computer connected and like The Tinker I have had a phone call from "Microsoft" telling me I have a computer problem.

Last time, having nothing better to do, I kept them on the phone for 15 minutes making up spurious answers to their questions before finally mentioning that there was no computer on the line - CLICK

[Silver_Shiney]

Em, are those the emails that just have a hyperlink in the body? I've been getting dozens at work, mostly "from" contacts with yahoo addresses but some from gmail, outlook and hotmail. Sometimes the genuine address is included in the body but the sending address is always from a different domain, although the name@ bit is the same as the genuine one.

[Manoverboard]

Em, are those the emails that just have a hyperlink in the body? I've been getting dozens at work, mostly "from" contacts with yahoo addresses but some from gmail, outlook and hotmail. Sometimes the genuine address is included in the body but the sending address is always from a different domain, although the name@ bit is the same as the genuine one.

Which suggests that one's ' Address Book ' has been borrowed / stolen / hacked .... time to dump the offending e-mail address me thinks. ( As advised to me by btinternet.com following the compromising of their BT-Yahoo Accounts ).

[Meg 50]

we get loads of those too - I delete them immediately - whatever you do, don't click the link - it either links to a dubious site, or adds viruses (or both).

My email was hacked a few years ago - I changed passwords as soon as I found out....
My regular correspondents knew it wasn't from me despite the address because I have an auto sig - and it was missing from those messages.

[barney]

I aso like to have a bit of fun with them and if not busy, am happy to keep them on the phone for a long time.

A few weeks ago I took a call from a Scouse accented guy claiming to be ringing from Kent Police ????
I sussed very quickly that he was a scammer selling advertising space on a 'wall planner'

Anyway I kept him talking for about twenty minutes before asking him exactly what police department he represented and introducing myself a Chief Inspector xxxx
He couldn't get the phone down quick enough but I did get their number and passed on to our son, who does work for Kent Police

[Silver_Shiney]

Em, are those the emails that just have a hyperlink in the body? I've been getting dozens at work, mostly "from" contacts with yahoo addresses but some from gmail, outlook and hotmail. Sometimes the genuine address is included in the body but the sending address is always from a different domain, although the name@ bit is the same as the genuine one.

Which suggests that one's ' Address Book ' has been borrowed / stolen / hacked .... time to dump the offending e-mail address me thinks. ( As advised to me by btinternet.com following the compromising of their BT-Yahoo Accounts ).

Our IT consultant assures me our systems have not been compromised. I'm inclined to agree with you, though, Moby.

[Quizzical Bob]

Em, are those the emails that just have a hyperlink in the body? I've been getting dozens at work, mostly "from" contacts with yahoo addresses but some from gmail, outlook and hotmail. Sometimes the genuine address is included in the body but the sending address is always from a different domain, although the name@ bit is the same as the genuine one.

If you right-click on the email and select 'view source' you can see where the proposed link will redirect you.

[Manoverboard]

Em, are those the emails that just have a hyperlink in the body? I've been getting dozens at work, mostly "from" contacts with yahoo addresses but some from gmail, outlook and hotmail. Sometimes the genuine address is included in the body but the sending address is always from a different domain, although the name@ bit is the same as the genuine one.

Which suggests that one's ' Address Book ' has been borrowed / stolen / hacked .... time to dump the offending e-mail address me thinks. ( As advised to me by btinternet.com following the compromising of their BT-Yahoo Accounts ).

Our IT consultant assures me our systems have not been compromised. I'm inclined to agree with you, though, Moby.

I was thinking of EM rather than your good self, SS ...

[Meg 50]

Em, are those the emails that just have a hyperlink in the body? I've been getting dozens at work, mostly "from" contacts with yahoo addresses but some from gmail, outlook and hotmail. Sometimes the genuine address is included in the body but the sending address is always from a different domain, although the name@ bit is the same as the genuine one.

Which suggests that one's ' Address Book ' has been borrowed / stolen / hacked .... time to dump the offending e-mail address me thinks. ( As advised to me by btinternet.com following the compromising of their BT-Yahoo Accounts ).

Our IT consultant assures me our systems have not been compromised. I'm inclined to agree with you, though, Moby.

as long as you don't click on anything, YOUR systems aren't compromised - it's the 'sender' who has the problem

[anneed]

Just logged in and was horrified to think I might have been double scammed. I immediately changed my password again at account.live.com/password/reset (that always comes up if I mis-type my password). Was I right to feel reassured that the verification code came up on the same number as before? The confirmation email from the Microsoft account team also appears identical to the one I got before.

Also changed bank password.

Am now totally terrified of doing anything.

[Silver_Shiney]

Was I right to feel reassured that the verification code came up on the same number as before? .

Do you mean it was sent through to your mobile? If yes, then I feel confident that you're safe.

[anneed]

Yes it was. I've been trying to find a Microsoft contact number to verify what's going on but no luck so far.

[Silver_Shiney]

Yes it was. I've been trying to find a Microsoft contact number to verify what's going on but no luck so far.

0344 800 2400 (http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/about/ukoffices/reading/)

[anneed]

I tried that number but was just put on hold - after 8 minutes I gave up. Just contacted Hotmail's help desk and they said the alert sounded kosher.

Still shaking though.

[anneed]

Just went into the Microsoft link you posted Silver Shiney. It showed a message just like the one I received and said security was being tightened. It said to look for a green shield on the message to verify if it was legit and I'm pleased to say the green shield was there on all the messages.

[Boris+]

Don't let it upset you - I know that stuff like this can make some people feel unsure or unsafe; and it's a rotten business all around.

Hopefully it will be resolved and you'll be safe as houses from now on.