Sunday, November 29, 2015

Stolen Apple ID

So this morning, I pull up iTunes to have some music while cleaning up after my guest, and see a notice that my session has expired. I know it's been at least six weeks, but at the same time, I don't remember this ever happening before. I try my password. It doesn't work. I try an alternate, thinking maybe I'd changed it to a more secure one. That doesn't work, and I get a notice from iTunes that it seems something is wrong with my account, so I should follow the link. I go there, type in my id, it can't find my account. I click "try again". I put in my first and last name, my email address, and the original email address associated with the account. Still no luck. I put in a support ticket.


Awhile later, I go to check my email, see if support has responded. I notice prior notices about activity on my account. On the 26th from 4am to 5am GMT, my account security questions were changed, followed by the birthdate associated with the account, followed by the email address. A few minutes after those emails were another set of emails proclaiming purchases having happened, since they were done with an iphone and I'd never used an iphone before.

The email address on the account had been changed to vsrx94iwlm7@163.com

The name on the account had been changed to cai song

The purchases were in Asian writing (sorry, I don't know the difference between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. I get the feeling this was Korean.)

I end up calling support. I was hopped twice, and the third person was able to help me because, when he found out I knew the email address, he suggested I try my old password. I tried it. It actually worked. I had to add my card to my account (I took it back off) so that he could reset the security questions. I changed the email address first, then added the card, then fixed security questions and birthdate, then changed it to a password I have never used before.

The money spent will be refunded, but it can take up to 10 days for it to show up on my account.

The actions of this person are baffling to me, since the only ways I can think of that they got in involve them having every single password ever... but then, this was the only account that had any money on it at that time.

Lots of passwords to change. Lots of cleaning to do. Gotta rearrange some furniture, and get some laundry done. I'm definitely not getting on camera this afternoon (there was hope, before this fiasco). We'll see about tonight. Definitely at least a bit tomorrow.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.