Really miss the game, but...Follow

Sorry to hear that! Glad your bank caught it though.

There is an authenticator coming out, and people at Fan Faire got one. I don't think they've officially released the authenticator itself yet but they said they have plans for iPhone and Android versions (that are free) and of course they will be selling a physical version too.

Very good thing the bank caught it on time. After all that happened, getting game cards might not be a bad thing to do, I'm considering it too although so far nothing happened.

The latest expansion is quite good, interesting questlines and zones to discover, I hope you are still enjoying those.

Opening a new account isn't going to do anything. If your account was compromised, change the email address associated with it and change the password, opening a new account is pointless. Also, the CC info that was stolen from SOE was old, likely expired cards and it was a single breach, it's not an ongoing thing. If their were false charges made to your CC right after you used it, the issue is likely on your end.

That I am aware of, no one has ever been into my account. My password has been changed twice since Sony was hacked... In addition, the card used had the same number for a couple of years (CC/Debit card) and the only thing changed since SoE was hacked was a new expiration date and security number on the back of it. I had a PS3 with that information as well... A day after updating that information with SoE on my account, I was hit... While that is not solid proof that it was due to the hack on SoE a few months ago, it is the most likely culprit as I have not used that particular card on many other websites outside of paying for my student loans to the government. Thus, it is extremely difficult to see this as "on my end". While that is possible (somehow, someway), it is far more unlikely than the company that was hacked into... Quite a funny coincidence, not to mention timing if it were on my end.

The CCV number on the back of the card is meant to be used for validation, indicating that you do in fact have possession of that card, most companies don't store that information. Also, the CC numbers that were compromised were not those of US cards (assuming you're a US customer).

As far as you being compromised a day after using your card being an indication that it is on SOE's end, the exact opposite is true. It indicates that your system is compromised since it was just used on your system. Since you just used it and it was compromised, if we assume that is when it was compromised, it would have had to have happened one of three ways.

1. Your system has been compromised and it was recorded when you entered the details. This is the most likely scenario and I'll explain why in a minute.

2. It was intercepted in transmission. The most vulnerable part of this scenario would be if you were using an unsecured wireless connection, a public system, or a compromised system. The chances of it being intercepted between your ISP and SOE's servers is highly unlikely.

3. SOE's servers are actively being monitored and information is being stolen as it is entered. I won't go into how unlikely this is, other than to say that if it were happening, a hell of a lot of people would be experiencing the exact same issue you are.

Back to number one. Your posts and assumptions indicate you aren't very knowledgeable on the subject, which is perfectly understandable since most people aren't. Either your CC was compromised awhile ago and the false charges lining up with your use on SOE's servers is purely coincidence, or it was compromised when it was used. Assuming your most recent use was the time it was compromised, it would have to be a form of malware that actively monitors and communicates with its host system, which is something that does not go unnoticed on a corporate network, although goes unnoticed on users systems on a daily basis.

I spent enough time explaining to people how these things work when SOE was offline, I'm not doing it again. I'm simply informing you that your assumptions are highly unlikely and starting a new account is pointless. If you want to start a new one anyway, go ahead. If you want to use a time card or temporary online purchase number like OldBlue mentioned, go ahead. But don't blame a company for something you know nothing about. As someone who's studying infosec and has been building and securing SOHO networks on a personal level for more than a decade, the false information and unfounded assumptions are extremely grating on the nerves, especially when that false information is one of the main reasons so many people have compromised systems to begin with.

A system breach like what happened to SOE is similar to the robbing of a brick and mortar store. They go in, find what they're after, and leave.

The CC and debit card info that was stolen was from Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain, and no CCV numbers were compromised. So unless you're from one of those areas, your CC info wasn't even compromised. Even if your CC info was compromised, they do need your new expiration date and CCV code, which they aren't going to get from you updating your information with SOE because the SOE breach is not an ongoing thing.

Which wireless encryption are you using? And I would dump ESET, it isn't the best from what I gathered and doesn't even offer rootkit support. Also, Firefox isn't any more secure than the other options and noscript is a false sense of security.

Now you just sent your computer out for repair? What was it sent in for? How do you know they didn't install something on your system? They had direct access to it didn't they? You do understand that every single company (B&M or online) you give your CC number to stores that information for accounting purposes and at any time their systems can be compromised? Meaning every single place you have ever used that CC at since it was most recently renewed is just as likely to be the culprit as SOE.

You're also thinking of this like a smash and grab job, it isn't. You didn't know your CC info was compromised so the thief doesn't have to run out and use it before it's reported stolen. Most of the time these people will gather as many CC numbers from different people as they can over a given period of time and use them all at once. The odds are greatly in favor of your CC details being compromised awhile ago, not with your most recent usage of it.

And basically telling me I don't know what I'm talking about because the coincidence is too overwhelming is insulting, especially when the assumptions made don't even make sense.

I think if there was still an issue of security with SOE, we'd see TONS of angry posts on the EQ2 forums. The only thing they're ******** about over there these days are mercs.