Xbox Live Hack? Microsoft says... strawberry float all, really.

[Wedgie]

I had around 3000 MS points left over and it's disappeared.

Checked the purchase history and nothing else has been downloaded. Changed my password just in case.

Safe to say that I am pissed off. Will call the dreaded support number tomorrow morning but I don't expect anything. Bastards.

UPDATE ON "possible" HACK

ANGRY gamers have slammed Microsoft for taking up to FOUR months to refund cash stolen in an XBox Live hacking fraud.

Hundreds of readers contacted The Sun yesterday after we told how criminals have swindled millions from people in online scams.

Many victims denied clicking on bogus "phishing" websites or giving personal details to crooks posing as fellow players — saying that Microsoft is under attack from gangs in Russia and China.

They also said the computing giant is routing complaints to the US and dragging its heels to compensate people.

Mum-of-two Vickie Thorpe — who lost £119 set aside for her kids' Christmas — said: "The staff are rubbish. I keep getting told the refund's coming and it doesn't."

Michael Botterill, who called a solicitor after losing £893, said: "It's disgraceful."

Player Jon Goff added: "This is sinister. I haven't provided crooks with any details. How are they getting into our accounts?"

Last night web safety expert Paul Vlissidis, of NGS Secure, said players have become a "key target" after banks tightened security to foil similar attacks.

He said: "People must treat their personal details as sacrosanct when online."

Microsoft insist there is no security failure and that people are falling for "malicious scams".

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... -fans.html

Indeed, MCV has been contacted by several individuals claiming much the same – that their accounts had been compromised and that they did definitely not give out their account information.

“I can assure you, [the hack is] very real,” one industry member told MCV under the condition of anonymity. “During the first week of September two purchases were made on my own Xbox live account, one for 5,000 credits and another 6,000 – totalling about £100.

“Not at any point have I had or have replied to an email asking for my account details in exchange for free stuff. To me this is a pure hacking issue.

“I have called MS at least five times trying to get my account sorted and the money refunded. I was told on the day that I reported it that the most recent transaction would be refunded (which it has) but that the initial transaction for 6,000 credits would need to be investigated. That investigation would take 30 days and they would contact me with the results. I'm still waiting for that call and I have chased them twice in the past fortnight alone.

“MS are playing down the issue here, but I can assure you there's more to it than a bit of phishing. To me its full-on fraud and MS don't seem that interested in sorting it.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/the-sun- ... aga/087638

Something is clearly going on...

Kotaku Report

Xbox Live Hacked? Microsoft Still Says "No." Tabloid Still Says…
Earlier this week, British tabloid The Sun ran a story, pointing to a series of "phishing" con jobs that were putting Xbox 360 owners at risk.

It sounded overblown—phishing scams are hardly new—but the paper cited a late night meeting with Xbox brass in its "exclusive" story.

Microsoft responded to the claims, stating that there was no hack and stressing measures it was taking to improve security. Today, however, The Sun ran another story, stating that Xbox Live has been hacked, and Xbox 360 gamers are saying Microsoft is covering up the hack. From The Sun:

...dozens of angry readers contacted The Sun to tell how crooks bought Microsoft Points on their accounts to trade on to users in countries like China, Nigeria and Russia - even though they didn't pass on any personal details or visit phishing websites.
Many victims of the scam exposed by The Sun have been hit for multiple purchases of £42.50 - just under the limit that most banks check.

The points, the currency of Microsoft games, have then been sold on to other players abroad.

"I was a victim but had not given out any personal details," gamer Matthew Moore told The Sun.

According to The Sun, the incidents were largely linked to FIFA 2012. Last month, FIFA-loving hackers struck Xbox Live accounts. Earlier this month, Microsoft admitted the intrusion, but was adamant that it was not a hack.

As website CVG pointed out, this could be old news. It could also be new incident.

This morning, Microsoft responded (via website MCV) to these latest claims that Xbox Live was hacked, stating, "As we commented on Tuesday, the Xbox Live service has not been hacked. However, we are investigating a number of recent customer complaints relating to Xbox Live customer service—particularly in the way that we have processed refunds to customers that have been victims of phishing related fraud.

"Consequently, we are taking several steps to address and resolve these particular issues as soon as possible and working closely with our affected customers to investigate and resolve any unauthorized charges made to their accounts resulting from recent phishing scams.

"Finally we would like to apologise to any customers who have not experienced a good service from us."

Kotaku is following up with Microsoft regarding the issue and will update this post should the company comment.

[PES Fan]

You sure they not expired?

Some points like the coke ones I got last year expired.

[Wedgie]

I brought the points today via Xbox.com, 6000 in fact. I had 6240.

I downloaded RE4, Guardian Heroes and the Mass Effect 2 Arrival add on. So I should have around 3000 left.

I think it's the transferring of my game licences that strawberry floated it up.

[Christopher]

Some accounts are randomly being hacked and points are being spent, have you checked your purchase history? If it shows you have spent those points on something else, ring Microsoft and they will reset your password and refund you your points.

[Wedgie]

I have checked my purchasing history via the MS billing website.

It clearly shows that I have 240 points before adding 6000. Three items that I have downloaded comes around 3200. The balance shows that I have 3040 points left.

But at the top of the page, it says that 6240 points has been spent. Nothing else has been purchased.

Shall give them a call.

[Christopher]

I'd call them.

[Wedgie]

Right, after phoning them... they said their system thought it was fraud and thus refunded my account of £51.

But I asked them that I managed to downloaded a few and they said yeah, I basically got them for free. I asked them if this would mean my xbox live gamer tag will be banned, and they said no.

I shall keep an eye on my account in next few days and see if this is true. If it isn't... an angry campaign beckons.

[aayl1]

Sounds legit. At least you benefitted from an MS strawberry float up.

[Diceman]

Woke up this morning and I couldn't sign in.
Tried to access Hotmail and failed too. Password had been changed.
Recovered everything thanks to the linked email account, but when I finally got into the Dash I only had 10msp left - over 2000 had been nicked.

When I phoned Xbox Support they told me they'd been spent on...you guessed it...Fifa 12 items.

Now the fallout: My account is suspended until their investigation is finished. Could be 5-20 days, apparently.
NO BATTLEFIELD 3 ONLINE!!!!!!!
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU..............

[Zellery]

That's awful mate.

[Garth]

Yeah, that sucks. This seems to be happening to a couple of people every day on GAF too, I've changed my password twice in 2 weeks - if I'm locked out of my account when Skyrim launches I'll be raging!

[Rik]

Any idea how they are getting the passwords? Shared with the PSN hack maybe?

[1cmanny1]

You dont see this happening on PSN, even with hackers.

Fifa items

[Pedz]

Any idea how they are getting the passwords? Shared with the PSN hack maybe?

I'd have thought most people would have changed their passwords since then.

[Rik]

Maybe but some people may not have thought to change their Live password as well, probably best for people to change their Xbox password to something unique and not share it with anything else.

[Zellery]

Why are people even hacking accounts to just spend it on Fifa items? Purchases are tied to that account anyway aren't they so it's not like they can even use them.

[Rik]

I think if you use the console you downloaded them on then you don't even need to be online to use them.

[Zellery]

I think if you use the console you downloaded them on then you don't even need to be online to use them.

Aaah right.

[Rik]

The licence is on the original console it is downloaded on, so if they ever change Xbox then the thieves will lose the items unless they can recover the stolen account.

Just strange that it is all FIFA related, must be a forum or group somewhere who is sharing this information?

[Tineash]

It's because the Fifa items can be traded, thus sold. It's just a way to convert points on somebody else's account into real money.