email hijacked? modern day pirates?!

nickyjellybaby

Hi guys n gals

I've had an issue of my account being hijacked on my yahoo before but recently my newer and shinier gmail account (that everyone thinks is better- jury is still out!)

Anyway, I thought it was just me as I have different combinations of the same password and I was usually forgetting which was which but about 2 weeks ago I made sure they were all the same and lo and behold today my gmail account password has been changed

Does anyone know if these email addresses are safe?? I don't use them for anything particularly just personal emails and for the 'social networks' etc but I wouldn't like to think someone is having a nose through my emails to friends etc

Is there any point in reporting it? If so to who? Perhaps they know the answer to my 'secret' question cos I can't seem to think of any other way in!

Ciao brainiacs :D

Snowbat

I've never had a problem with my Yahoo or Gmail accounts.

I think the most likely cause is your computer (or another computer you've used to access your accounts) has a keylogger installed and someone has obtained your username(s) and password(s) using the keylogger. Check for viruses/trojans on your computer. Don't access your accounts from other computers unless you know they are secure. Report the theft of your Gmail account.

Stephen

It might be worth changing your password to something more complex. Try to use both lower and uppercase, punctuation, numbers etc in it.

PogMoThoin

I'd be very weary of logging in2 check my emails on some1 elses pc or in a internet cafe etc, I'd say this is where you slipped up. I've had both yahoo & gmail for years and never had a problem. Another tip is not to use a dictionary word as your password, even with some characters changed for numbers as these are easily cracked with software. Here

jhegarty

I have had the same hotmail address on the same password since 1996... never had a problem .....

dingdong1234567

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

Hi guys n gals

I've had an issue of my account being hijacked on my yahoo before but recently my newer and shinier gmail account (that everyone thinks is better- jury is still out!)

Anyway, I thought it was just me as I have different combinations of the same password and I was usually forgetting which was which but about 2 weeks ago I made sure they were all the same and lo and behold today my gmail account password has been changed

Does anyone know if these email addresses are safe?? I don't use them for anything particularly just personal emails and for the 'social networks' etc but I wouldn't like to think someone is having a nose through my emails to friends etc

Is there any point in reporting it? If so to who? Perhaps they know the answer to my 'secret' question cos I can't seem to think of any other way in!

Ciao brainiacs :D

This happened to me about 3 weeks ago on my Yahoo e-mail. Someone accessed my e-mail and sent out crap from an online store on ebay from china or somewhere. They managed to get all my contacts. I just moved everything out of yahoo pronto and keep your info on e-mail to a minimum of possible!

Saruman

Never had this problem, either you left it logged in somewhere, or used it on a strange computer with a key logger... or someone from one of the sites you changed your password decided to have a go.

You know the way for some sites you sign up and user your email address as your username? Such as pigsback.com
Well if your gmail address is your login, and you use the same password as your gmail on pigsback, there is nothing to stop someone at pigsback logging in and taking a look.

This is why i use a different password for my email than i do for accounts that use my email address as a login name. (myspace, bebo and crap like that)

TheBigLebowski

Fow some reason a lot of people have their secret question as "What is your 1st pets name?" or equally straight forward. Anybody who knows you will know that and it's easy for anyone who doesn't know you to start guessing unless your 1st pets name was "df4'][54tgdf\1£$^%"...

Set your question to something extremely obscure that only you will know...

nickyjellybaby

hi everyone,

thanks for that. I feel a bit better after hearing some of you say you've had no problems before

(fyi the Yahoo got hacked by an ex of mine before because he knew my secret question)

On gmail I'm not so sure what happened as I only use my laptop and work pc so it baffles me.

Does anyone know if there's a way you can check when you're email is logged into? like some record? or check the IP addresses and stuff? I don't imagine there is as gmail and yahoo are too big to control that way. Just thought there might be somethin I could set up on my account in case it happens again

Thanks again for all the reassurance though

Saruman

Well did you contact gmail support? tell them what happened and ask them can they check IP address activity on your account around the time it happened.

Vokes

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

On gmail I'm not so sure what happened as I only use my laptop and work pc so it baffles me.

As Snowbat mentioned above, did you scan for Trojans / viruses yet on either comp?

Snowbat

Gmail (and Yahoo) almost certainly log the times and IP addresses from which accounts are accessed and retain the information for a while but it might take an enquiry from law enforcement or a court order to get it. Do ask though.

Alternatively, get creative - send an email containing a link and make it too curious to not click on. With cooperation from the web server admin you can get the IP address and timestamp of any page views.