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05-09-09, 01:50 PM   #5
Tristanian
Andúril
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 279
Originally Posted by magicalmissy74 View Post
Has this happend to anyone else and what kind of course of action did you take maybe it will make it less stressful and less agravating for me as well..
Typically, Blizzard account support will immediately suspend an account that has been compromised by a non-legitimate owner. The suspension usually takes a couple of days and in order to safeguard the account, they also change the password (they will email you the new one). At this point the only thing you can do is wait and while you are at it, it would be wise to visit the Account Management page and change the password again (obviously to something that does not reflect your old one), plus your registered email address. This is an action that Blizzard themselves will recommend, after you get your account back and it's a wise one.

Run a full scan of your computer for spyware/trojans and if anything is found, make sure that you have it removed. If you don't have a virus/spyware scanner/removal utility, there are plenty of sites around the net offering free scanners. If you are unsure of what you are doing, then yes, I would also recommend a format/clean installation of your OS.

Think long and hard of whether you were sharing your account with someone else (aka if someone else had access to your account details). If their computer was compromised, then it's possible that your details were also leaked. Typically, sharing account information is generally a very dangerous practice, even if it involves people that you can vouch for. Just don't do it.

Think about the sites you were visiting the last few weeks/months and whether you registered on a website by using account details similar or identical to the ones that you use inside World of Warcraft. I have had a case of a close friend that got his account compromised simply because he registered somewhere without exactly trusting the website. Never use your WoW account details anywhere else, for whatever reason (even Blizzard won't ask for them, ever).

Last but not least, when you finally get your account back and in case your characters have been stripped of items (includings banks etc), then you will have to immediately contact a Game Master, explaining that your account was compromised and the circumstances around the incident. He will most likely ask you questions about account sharing, your computer security as I have stated above and roughly when was your account compromised. Usually (though not always), your stuff will be reimbursed.

Now, obviously if your account was suspended/banned due to it being used for something strictly prohibited by the TOS/EULA, then nothing of the above applies and will most likely stay that way.

EDIT : If you were using a credit card to pay for your account, then Blizzard will most likely disable this option. You will be required to fill out a form via the Account Support website, explaining in detail what has happened and possibly attaching proof that you are the legitimate account owner (eg photocopy of your drivers license or passport) in order to get the credit card option reinstated. Note however that they may ultimately decide not to comply.
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Last edited by Tristanian : 05-09-09 at 02:02 PM.
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