Falsely Accused

[Shabranigdo]

So, tried logging into the game today with my new account. The one with my new Rogue, which I recently started on a free 30 day trial for the game.

Access was locked to the account. I decided to try and login my old account from 5 years ago, which I just reactivated yesterday. Access to that account was locked out as well.

I didn't know what to do, so I ended up calling Simutronics, at which point they told me I needed to contact the Lockout department and they'd tell me the problem.

Well, I emailed the lockout department, and after waiting like 6 hours, I finally got a response. Basically, I was accused of password phishing and I was informed that all accounts would be locked out. Obviously, I wasn't password phishing at all.

I had some trouble reactivating the old account, because I couldn't remember the answer I put for the security question. After talking with the billing department though, I was able to prove that it was my account and they gave me access back to it. I then setup a subscription plan and everything was fine.

Then, I thought that if my account from 5 years ago was still there, maybe my account from almost 10 years ago, which contained a level 13 cleric from the Prodigy days would still be in the system. I went about trying to get that reactivated too. I couldn't remember the answer to the security question at first, but after talking with another billing representative, I remembered it and everything seemed fine. They told me to contact the lockout department to get it unlocked so I could setup a subscription.

While I did this, I figured I might as well activate ANOTHER of my accounts, this one a little more recent, only going back 3 years ago. I knew the security question to this one and I had no problem with it, except that I had to contact the lockout department again to get it unlocked.

So, I started waiting for the lockout department to process the accounts for reactivation. Today, I woke up and as I said, I found both of my two active accounts were locked out. Fired off an email to the lockout department, waited 6 hours to finally hear back, and was told:

"This account may not be released nor will any current or future accounts be allowed. Your account was terminated for password phishing. There is absolutely no tolerance for this activity whatsoever. Doing so once will cause your accounts to be permanently removed. This is considered a blanket danger to every other person who plays our games, and is illegal under the Internet Security Act of 2000 and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (amended 1994, 1996, 2001).

GameMaster Sanguious
Simutronics Corporation"

I was floored. I immediately got pissed off, because these were MY accounts that all I had made in the past, and they were accusing me of phishing password to MY accounts. I replied back and told them it was ridiculous and that I could prove that they were my accounts. I never sold any of them or gave them to anyone, I just canceled their subscriptions and stopped playing, thinking that I would never come back to the game again.

Like I said, the reason why I kept making new accounts every time I came back, was because I always thought they purged any old accounts that were idle for more than a year. So, every time I did end up coming back to the game, I just made a brand new account.

I doubt anyone can help me with this issue, but does anyone have any suggestions or comments? I was kinda hoping to actually play long term now. Needless to say, it really pissed me off to be accused of phishing my own accounts.

[Back]

Quit phishing for accounts.

If you really are innocent then just keep the dialogue open and be professional/polite about it. Getting pissed and being rude to them will not help.

[Shabranigdo]

I am pissed, but I'm still polite to them. It's just dumb that they don't have the brains to realize that my name and address is on each account.

[The Ponzzz]

Provide them with the first 4 and last 4 digits of the CC you used back then(not the one with prodigy). And explain yourself in a professional manner.

[Shabranigdo]

I don't have the credit card numbers. The latest account is going back 3 years ago. All of them have expired and I always cut up my old cards. Some of them were paid for with my mother's credit card, cause I was obviously younger back then.

[The Ponzzz]

You can call the bank to get them if they are/were a debit card.

[Shabranigdo]

I suppose it's worth a shot, but I can't even be sure which card was used. I know my father paid for my original account that was transfered from Prodigy, because I was like 14 back then.

[Gan]

The fact that you have the same last name as whats on the credit card that paid for the subscription/account and that you were able to give the security codes clearly demonstrates your the proper owner. This hold true even more if all of the names on the account were the same, and consequently have your last name.

As stated before, be professional, lay it all out in a communication, step by step in clear, concise, and factual account of how you started on this venture to reactivate old accounts and Simutronics should have no qualms about removing the lockouts.

Thats providing that everything you're saying is true; which at this point, noone here can say otherwise, based on your known credibility in these forums.

Good luck and keep the communication with SIMU open.

[AestheticDeath]

Just take them to court!

Not really.. but I would be pissed off enough to do it, if this were me.

Did they say why they think you were password phishing? Any proof? Why do they think the old accounts are not yours?

[The Ponzzz]

The policy has always been the same to re open all accounts. You must be able to provide the answer to the sec. question or provide the first 4 and last 4 of the credit card used.

Years ago I needed the card number and thought it would be impossible.

But a simple call to HSBC and they sent it to me in the mail in 3 business days.

It's a pain, but if you explain to the bank about your situation they normally don't even give you a hassle

[Flurbins]

So, I started waiting for the lockout department to process the accounts for reactivation...

"This account may not be released nor will any current or future accounts be allowed. Your account was terminated for password phishing.



Sounds like you got busted a few years ago for this, and they are living up to not allowing you any future accounts.

[Bobmuhthol]

No it doesn't?

[Flurbins]

The op is in tarantino time. The middle comes first, etc. Looks like all the 3+ year old accounts were locked out at the time of reactivation.

[Shabranigdo]

No, I never got busted for anything of the sort, ever. It doesn't do much to say it on a message board, but I've never done anything of the sort.

In all cases I was able to provide the answer to the security question, except for one account. After talking in email with the billing department some more, they asked for the name, phone number and address used to originally create the account. I provided them with such info and they felt that I had proved I owned the account and gave me access to it and I was able to setup a subscription plan.

I have no idea why they would think that the accounts are not mine. The accounts all either have my own or my mother's name on them.

I ended up writing a long, detailed email to Simutronics and I'm awaiting a response from it. Of course, I was polite. This is annoying situation but biting their heads off in an email isn't going to do anything for my case.

[The Ponzzz]

Did you ever let someone have access to your accounts that could have done this?

Just curious.

[Shabranigdo]

Nope, never. Not many of my friends were ever interested in Gemstone :p

Thanks for everyones comments and suggestions though, I appreciate it.

[The Ponzzz]

No problem.

It almost looks like someone played you for a bit or there is a misunderstanding somehow...

Or...

We don't know a piece of this puzzle!

[Bobmuhthol]

From a security standpoint, it sends up a red flag when multiple accounts are being reactivated together that were all terminated at different times years apart. I'm not really surprised.

[Shabranigdo]

Yeah, I can understand that. I don't know what I could have done about that, besides reactivating each a month apart.

[Bobmuhthol]

Obviously, hindsight doesn't serve to help you at all at this point, but contacting Simutronics personally beforehand would've saved you the trouble of doing it now at a disadvantage.

[Seran]

I for one think this guy is pretty much full of shit.

The line that he couldn't remember the security answer is reason enough to believe he took several guesses at it, feighing ignorance until a customer service oriented rep gave 'hints' until he guessed correctly.

Simutronics did the right thing. They don't lock out possible paying subscriptions for any old reason. I'm willing to bet they see the original name/email on the account was different, and noticed other irregularities in the account history.

Give up and go try guessing some World of Warcraft passwords.

[AestheticDeath]

I for one think this guy is pretty much full of shit.

The line that he couldn't remember the security answer is reason enough to believe he took several guesses at it, feighing ignorance until a customer service oriented rep gave 'hints' until he guessed correctly.

Simutronics did the right thing. They don't lock out possible paying subscriptions for any old reason. I'm willing to bet they see the original name/email on the account was different, and noticed other irregularities in the account history.

Give up and go try guessing some World of Warcraft passwords.

You must think everyone has the memory of an elephant, or writes down stuff even when they think they will never need or use it again.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<feighing ignorance until a customer service oriented rep gave 'hints' until he guessed correctly.>>

I sure wish I could guess a bunch of 4 digit numbers in a reasonable number of guesses, LOL!

[The Ponzzz]

My old security question was insanely tough to answer... I always would forget, hence why I changed it...

[AestheticDeath]

Yes, I tend to choose questions that are common.. and then give the wrong thing as the answer.

As in.. Where were you born? I say something off the wall which isnt actually where I was born. Or I name something abnormal that other people wouldnt be able to figure out as easily. Like say.. the hospital room number. Instead of the county likes on the birth certificate, or city/state etc. If someone else can look it up easily.. forget using it.

Mothers maiden name.. shouldnt use it. Most people do though.

[The Ponzzz]

Yes, I tend to choose questions that are common.. and then give the wrong thing as the answer.

As in.. Where were you born? I say something off the wall which isnt actually where I was born. Or I name something abnormal that other people wouldnt be able to figure out as easily. Like say.. the hospital room number. Instead of the county likes on the birth certificate, or city/state etc. If someone else can look it up easily.. forget using it.

Mothers maiden name.. shouldnt use it. Most people do though.

Yup, not for GS, but for some of my old email accounts, I'd ask the Mother's Maiden name question and answer it with my first dog. Back when my ex wife tried to hack my shit...

[Gan]

I for one think this guy is pretty much full of shit.

Understandable, since thats what most of us here on the PC think about what/when you post...

[Back]

Understandable, since thats what most of us here on the PC think about what/when you post...

Thats a given for anyone who posts. And should be a standard.

I’ve reactivated a few old accounts all in one phone session. I’ve stumbled a little on sec. questions... in fact, although I was able to answer them on a second guess, it occurred to me that the person handling me on the phone was being lenient. I’m sure there are other checks involved but it makes you wonder if someone could know another person’s account login and just guess a few times at the security question and get in.

This guy may be full of shit for all I know. Best advice is if he isn’t persue it with congeniality.

Ganalon I know is full of shit so I’m not surprised at him taking this opportunity to slam someone who disagrees with him in other threads. Low, Gan. Real low. And wrong. You do not speak for me and Seran is usually more correct than you are.

[TheEschaton]

I used to have the "What's your mother's maiden name?" as a security question, with a number for an answer. Then I forgot the number, and had to do the CC thing, so now I just do a question where I'll always remember the answer, but no one will ever know: "What was the AOL SN of my first boss?"

-TheE-

[FinisWolf]

Jerk?

:snicker:

LOL

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Finis

[Jazuela]

Another hindsight thought...

It looks like you had trouble with your first reactivation, and each one after that. If it were me, I would have -maybe- tried a second one, but if I had any trouble with that one I would have stopped trying the others until I got the first two straightened out. Otherwise like Bob says, it just reeks of a phishing attempt, even if it isn't.

[Gan]

Thats a given for anyone who posts. And should be a standard.
Thats my usual standard that I go by when I read 99% of your posts.


I’ve reactivated a few old accounts all in one phone session. I’ve stumbled a little on sec. questions... in fact, although I was able to answer them on a second guess, it occurred to me that the person handling me on the phone was being lenient. I’m sure there are other checks involved but it makes you wonder if someone could know another person’s account login and just guess a few times at the security question and get in.
THEN YOU MUST BE PASSWORD PHISHING!!! LIAR LIAR! /sarcasm
Here's the point you missed. All the acconts this person is trying to gain access to are closed accounts, not active ones that would usually indicate ownership of someone else.


This guy may be full of shit for all I know. Best advice is if he isn’t persue it with congeniality.
However, since he has not posted here often, and has not yet shown himself/herself to be a scammer or a liar then is called COURTESY to extend to him/her the benefit of the doubt until they prove otherwise. Anything less with with evidence given is just being an ass an flaming a new poster.


Ganalon I know is full of shit so I’m not surprised at him taking this opportunity to slam someone who disagrees with him in other threads. Low, Gan. Real low. And wrong. You do not speak for me and Seran is usually more correct than you are.
:lol: You're still mad because I called you out on being a pothead arent you? :lol:

[Ignot]

I always have the same answer for any security question. I have never had problems activating old accounts and I can't always remember all the info they ask for.

They must have had a good reason for not activating them. Maybe because you said

"hey can i open this account? Great. oh! Now this one too? Sweet. Oh hey, how bout this one?"

That might be a red flag, i dont know. Good luck i guess.

[Back]

:lol: You're still mad because I called you out on being a pothead arent you? :lol:

Please. Its your audacity to think you speak for most people and going wildy off-topic in this thread to attack someone who disagrees with you in other threads. You’re a fucking moron.

[Gan]

Please. Its your audacity to think you speak for most people and going wildy off-topic in this thread to attack someone who disagrees with you in other threads. You’re a fucking moron.

Touched a nerve?

Got any other names you can stir up?

PS. I am disagreeing with that person in this thread. Learn 2 read plz.

:lol:

(I love how you invoke the off topic rule and yet perpetuate its occurrence)

[Parkbandit]

I used to have the "What's your mother's maiden name?" as a security question, with a number for an answer. Then I forgot the number, and had to do the CC thing, so now I just do a question where I'll always remember the answer, but no one will ever know: "What was the AOL SN of my first boss?"

-TheE-

I don't get why you wouldn't just use the correct answer? I have 3 types of security questions/answers depending on if it's a game, if it's financial or if it's other.

[AestheticDeath]

See some of the above posts. Other people can figure out your answers fairly easy. All they have to do is look up a copy of your birth certificate.

[TheEschaton]

I do now, PB, but the question is so obscure no one could answer it but me, especially since I translate some of the words differently than their normal context.


-TheE-

[Parkbandit]

See some of the above posts. Other people can figure out your answers fairly easy. All they have to do is look up a copy of your birth certificate.

All they have to do is look up my birth certificate? Please provide me a copy of my birth certificate, as it sounds so simple to do.

Also, please show me on my birth certificate where my mother's maiden name is... since it's not on there.

[The Ponzzz]

Mine has my dad's and mom's name on there... :(

And my ex wife was able to buy mine without my permission...

[Amaron]

New birth certificates have mom's maiden name. My children's does.

They spelled my maiden name wrong and I had t have it replaced.

J

[Gan]

All they have to do is look up my birth certificate? Please provide me a copy of my birth certificate, as it sounds so simple to do.

Also, please show me on my birth certificate where my mother's maiden name is... since it's not on there.

My thoughts exactly. First you have to figure out my full name... then you have to figure out where to order the birth certificate from...

[The Ponzzz]

My thoughts exactly. First you have to figure out my full name... then you have to figure out where to order the birth certificate from...

Or maybe, you need to figure out how we are watching you RIGHT THIS SECOND!!!

MWA HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Gan]

Or maybe, you need to figure out how we are watching you RIGHT THIS SECOND!!!

MWA HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


speak into the lamp when you say that

[The Ponzzz]

lmao!!!

[Summertime]

My old security question was insanely tough to answer... I always would forget, hence why I changed it...


Why am I hearing Peter Graves asking Mario "Have you ever been in a Turkish Prison Billy?" ?????

[AestheticDeath]

All they have to do is look up my birth certificate? Please provide me a copy of my birth certificate, as it sounds so simple to do.

Also, please show me on my birth certificate where my mother's maiden name is... since it's not on there.

It may not be the easiest thing for just anyone to do, but I am sure someone who wanted could do it easily enough.

[TheEschaton]

You want me to get you a toe? I can get you a toe...I can get you a toe, with nail polish, by 3 o clock.

-TheE-

[Sean of the Thread]

Just saying...

[TheEschaton]

Fuckin' amateurs.

[Seran]

Here's the point you missed. All the acconts this person is trying to gain access to are closed accounts, not active ones that would usually indicate ownership of someone else.

No here's the point you're missing, if they weren't closed account he wouldn't have to call Simutronic, and thus half of his entire post about the fairness of the CS team vs. the GM who locked him out would be invalid.

If you're using security questions you can't within a few moments of having it asked, then you're an idiot. The entire point of choosing a question is so you /can/ remember it. I've been playing off an on since 1998 and never have forgotten my main account info. By the sounds of it, he's been playing off an on for just as long.

If they weren't closed accounts he would simply be 'phishing' for the password on the website.. which would inadvertantly get his IP flagged by Simu. One of the most telltale ways to locate a hacked account.. check it's unsuccessful logins.

Feel free to stop trolling Ganalon, there's nothing more assanine than answering someones post with sarcasm. It makes you look stupid and takes up the time of people who're generally interested in a thread.

[Gan]

No here's the point you're missing, if they weren't closed account he wouldn't have to call Simutronic, and thus half of his entire post about the fairness of the CS team vs. the GM who locked him out would be invalid.
LOL, go back and reread his first post again. Then buy yourself a clue.


If you're using security questions you can't within a few moments of having it asked, then you're an idiot. The entire point of choosing a question is so you /can/ remember it. I've been playing off an on since 1998 and never have forgotten my main account info. By the sounds of it, he's been playing off an on for just as long.
So everyone else who's posted here admitting to forgetting security questions they've chosen are idiots too? Riiiiiiight. Too bad we cant all be perfect like you. /sarcasm


If they weren't closed accounts he would simply be 'phishing' for the password on the website.. which would inadvertantly get his IP flagged by Simu. One of the most telltale ways to locate a hacked account.. check it's unsuccessful logins.
So all unsuccessful attempts at trying to log into one of your own accounts that you owned 5 years ago would be considered phishing too providing you didnt have that info written down and saved somewhere. If thats all it took to identify phishing then we would see limited login attempts. The fact that he called in denotes that he was prepared to give them additional info necessary to identify himself as the owner.


Feel free to stop trolling Ganalon, there's nothing more assanine than answering someones post with sarcasm. It makes you look stupid and takes up the time of people who're generally interested in a thread.

Trolling would indicate posting after you just to flame your original post. Which is simply not the case since I have a post in this folder before you. And I've yet see anyone, especially someone such as you, make me look stupid here.

[CrystalTears]

No here's the point you're missing, if they weren't closed account he wouldn't have to call Simutronic, and thus half of his entire post about the fairness of the CS team vs. the GM who locked him out would be invalid.
If you're using security questions you can't within a few moments of having it asked, then you're an idiot. The entire point of choosing a question is so you /can/ remember it. I've been playing off an on since 1998 and never have forgotten my main account info. By the sounds of it, he's been playing off an on for just as long.
My god, why are you downing on this guy so hard? Do you know him better than we do? Have some inside information that we don't know that he's not telling? If not, all you are doing is assuming and speculating.

Sometimes remembering a security answer is not always easy to remember when you did it a while ago. I had one question that was my favorite city. Pft. Have any idea how often in my life this changed?

If they weren't closed accounts he would simply be 'phishing' for the password on the website.. which would inadvertantly get his IP flagged by Simu. One of the most telltale ways to locate a hacked account.. check it's unsuccessful logins. You're not serious. You can't be. You mean to tell me everytime someone logs in with the wrong password a few times they're phishing, even when they're all coming from the same location and is where the owner is? You have square pegs in your round hole brain.

Feel free to stop trolling Ganalon, there's nothing more assanine than answering someones post with sarcasm. It makes you look stupid and takes up the time of people who're generally interested in a thread. Actually I'm noticing lately that you're the one starting to take jabs at Ganalon since you don't seem to agree with him. I wouldn't start with the troll calling if I were you.

[Seran]

You're not serious. You can't be. You mean to tell me everytime someone logs in with the wrong password a few times they're phishing, even when they're all coming from the same location and is where the owner is?


Quite the jump to a false assumption there. My statement did nothing to infer that every series of attempts to logon unsucessfully, but as my statement lacked definition to the contrary, so be it.

In the computer administrative world, it is possible to log each successful and unsuccessful login attempt. Obviously, should any account have ten failed logins in a short amount of time from the same IP address, then such would be considered suspicious. One can reach the conclusion that such an investigation took place in order for Simutronics to lock his accounts, it's not like they're swimming in extra cash.

Or, you can simply go back to believing this individual is of perfect intent, as you so obviously seem inclined to do.

[Back]

That sounds perfectly plausible. Where I used to work, you were locked out of the server if you missed your PW three times and had to talk to an admin to get it unlocked.

Its very possible the OP tried to login many times on multiple accounts in a short time, then called in to activate those same accounts and bumbled around on the security questions. From Simu’s perspective it must look awful phishy.

[CrystalTears]

Yes you get locked out for incorrect password attempts and have to request access again and prove it's you. However you don't get told by the administrator that you're no longer allowed access to your information ever again and that you're fired.. which is pretty much what they're telling him.

Besides, as much as I question people's intents, I don't do it on the first try. I am one of those who believe you are innocent unless proven guilty. If you want to jump all over him for not knowing his security answer right away, so be it. Since I haven't seen any other reasons to consider him being deceitful, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt rather than call him a liar from the get-go.

[Gan]

We had a conversation on the officials about a year ago concerning account security and login attempts. We were told by SIMU and by the GMs in that folder that putting any sort of limit on successful/unsuccessful logon attempts into the game is NOT something they are interested in doing, for any reason due to it being an issue thats more trouble than its worth (i.e. cost/benefit analysis).

[Seran]

Login limits have nothing to do with monitoring unsuccessful login attempt logs. Locking accounts for bad logins when you have a limited customer service team usually ends up in pissed off customers.

[Gan]

Login limits have nothing to do with monitoring unsuccessful login attempt logs. Locking accounts for bad logins when you have a limited customer service team usually ends up in pissed off customers.

It has everything to do with it when you use those logs as evidence to lock customers out. Which is what could have happened in this case, depending on what decision making process the officials at Simu used to determine this case as a phishing example.

But more to the point. This case is not an example of login attempt logs being used. This is an example of a customer creating a new account, then deciding to reactivate previous accounts held in the same name from a time period of up to 5 years ago. The customer service representative of Simutronics was satisfied enough with the information given to reopen those previously closed accounts for the same named customer (as stated in the initial post). Then, upon later review, Simutronics decides that this specific case is classified phishing and locks the old accounts along with the new account without notifying the customer until the next time customer attempts a login.

Consistency? Not really.

Fair? Depends on how accurate the information given in the initial post is.

Accurate? There's nothing in the initial post that demonstrates the poster is intentionally misleading this forum while asking for advice. Furthermore, since this isnt the official forums, nor feedback, what motive would the poster (a new poster no doubt) have in misleading the more experienced posters here on the PC in his solicitation for advice?

As some of the more experienced posters here on the PC have already testified; this poster needs to continue the dialogue with Simutronics through the lockout feedback channel of communication with a mature, factual, and congenial tone. If what was initially posted is accurate (specifically in terms of details of information given as well as omitted) then the customer/poster should have no trouble getting his accounts back online.

With that being said, if you want to genuinely be perceived as being interested in this thread then you might consider not entering into it with your initial comment (see below) and if anything ask more questions to give light to your doubt, rather than just flaming the thread creator.




I for one think this guy is pretty much full of shit.

The line that he couldn't remember the security answer is reason enough to believe he took several guesses at it, feighing ignorance until a customer service oriented rep gave 'hints' until he guessed correctly.

Simutronics did the right thing. They don't lock out possible paying subscriptions for any old reason. I'm willing to bet they see the original name/email on the account was different, and noticed other irregularities in the account history.

Give up and go try guessing some World of Warcraft passwords.

[Khariz]

I always forget my security answer for one of my accounts. I've re-activated it 12 times, and I have forgotten every time.

I always have to have Beth remind me of what the question was again to remember the answer. I know it's pathetic, but I'm just cool like that.

[Gan]

My security code answer is one of 3 things. Its the passwords that I rotate through that usually throw me off.

In addition to that. I'm on my 4th named account with Gemstone. Started off with the original, then added one. Reduced back to one, dropping the original, then later added another.... rinse, repeat.

Only downside is that I'm missing out on quite a bit of premie points if I were to still have my original account that was made back in 98. :(

So yea, if I were to go back to simu and request to open up all of my previously held accounts, which I would have to call since I doubt I would get the passwords correct through online logging in attempts, and then I would have to work through the security code questions - hopefully they'll give me 3 guesses...

Yea, feasably I could have my accounts locked for 'phishing' as well. :(

[CrystalTears]

That's because you're both stupid. This is Seran.

[AestheticDeath]

?

[Askip]

We have not from the OP in a few days, I wonder how he is progressing with Simu.

:D