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I think my number has been hijacked. HELP HELP HELP

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

not sure this is where this belongs but I think someone has hijacked my number, I need help NOW
my phone says my sim is not registered to the network and when I called my number someone picked up on the other end that obviously wasn't me, this needs attention NOW.

37 REPLIES 37

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

yeah they must have the phone off or something as I only get voice mail now.

 

oglat
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

It is really strange that they didn't change the email address yet.

Did you attempt to call the number recently from hangouts or some free voip?

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

If I try an old email I used, I can put the wrong password in all day and it does nothing, but if I use the correct email after three attempts it locks the account.

oglat
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

@geopublic wrote:

@s3rj Again the account username is the email. If the hijacker was able to get into your account and swap sims then they could have requested to change the account email to one that they control. How are you so sure this didn't happen.?


That is possible, but wouldn't s3rj get an error message that there is no account with that email?

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

entirely possible, I just do it now as a "feel better about the situation" method.

 

@s3rj Again the account username is the email. If the hijacker was able to get into your account and swap sims then they could have requested to change the account email to one that they control. How are you so sure this didn't happen.?

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

simple, the password is wrong so I keep trying it and ends up lcoking the account for too many failed attempts.


@s3rj wrote:

Nope, still without a phone the only thing I managed to do before I lost the account was suspend it, and now I just have to keep trying the password to keep the account locked up.


@s3rj  Not sure I understand, if the hijacker was able to  get the moderators to change the email address on your account how is that going to keep the account locked up by trying your password?

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Nope, still without a phone the only thing I managed to do before I lost the account was suspend it, and now I just have to keep trying the password to keep the account locked up.

tehowennathe
Model Citizen / Citoyen Modèle

Did you ever get your issue solved? 

oglat
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

@geopublic wrote:

@s3rj wrote:

I use a high security system that needs a special encrypted key for outside access to my email. so it is secure.


@s3rj Good to know. Just curious to find out how they were able to get into your selfserve. That why I'm always suspicious when I see posts of users that just signup minutes before posting:

"Hi, I just lost my phone don't remember my username or security question need to access my account please help."

 

That's is why I have requested on many occasions the ability to lock my PM account via selfserve so that an account reset by a moderator is prohibited. Hopefully that changes but I won't hold my breadth.



I was thinking about that not long ago actually.

Even if you would force people to create the community account those who don't use it would probably end up with another account just created and the message ' just lost my phone and can't remember my user name for either self serve nor original community account'. 

oglat
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

@s3rj wrote:

So it seems the user name is still the same but the password has been changed. but when I request to reset my password it never send the email.



Did you check your filters? 

Did you get any response from mods?

Anything strange with your credit card? That can't do much with it really, but still they may have tried to do an upgrade.


@s3rj wrote:

So it seems the user name is still the same but the password has been changed. but when I request to reset my password it never send the email.


@s3rj It's possible to message the moderators and ask them to change the email on the account. So maybe that is what happened here.

GinYVR
Mayor / Maire

@s3rjI would chalk it to a false positive.. as Public Mobile doesn't seem to ever erase an email. It is likely disabled.

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

So it seems the user name is still the same but the password has been changed. but when I request to reset my password it never send the email.


@s3rj wrote:

I use a high security system that needs a special encrypted key for outside access to my email. so it is secure.


@s3rj Good to know. Just curious to find out how they were able to get into your selfserve. That why I'm always suspicious when I see posts of users that just signup minutes before posting:

"Hi, I just lost my phone don't remember my username or security question need to access my account please help."

 

That's is why I have requested on many occasions the ability to lock my PM account via selfserve so that an account reset by a moderator is prohibited. Hopefully that changes but I won't hold my breadth.

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I use a high security system that needs a special encrypted key for outside access to my email. so it is secure.

geopublic
Mayor / Maire

@s3rj wrote:

not sure this is where this belongs but I think someone has hijacked my number, I need help NOW
my phone says my sim is not registered to the network and when I called my number someone picked up on the other end that obviously wasn't me, this needs attention NOW.


@s3rj Check to make sure your email hasn't also been hacked. If you can't access it then that's not good and you need to get that resolved ASAP.


@thesakinator wrote:

make sure you call customer service and block your number first then they will help with next actions.


Do you mean customer service of the person's bank, ebay, amazon, etc. accounts?  There is no customer service number to call at Public Mobile.

XionBunny
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

@thesakinator wrote:

make sure you call customer service and block your number first then they will help with next actions.


Remember, public mobile does not have a customer service number outside of the self-help automated system with limited functionality.

oglat
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

you do have access to your email, make sure you change the password,

check the filters because if they made it in they may be blocking relevant stuff too

GinYVR
Mayor / Maire

@s3rj

Change the passwords to the accounts that uses 2FA on the devices you have, ideally from an IP you are known to frequent. Usually IP and cookies stored on devices are what email accounts use to figure out whether you need to 2FA authenticate..Start with email addresses, then social media, etc etc. Hopefully your adversary is not that quick.

 

Go out and get another SIM card and activate it ASAP.. so at least banks etc can contact you. Unfortunately you will have wait till the banks reopen (I would recommend going to your home branch with your ID to simplify things), i am not sure that many banks have 24/7 support anymore. Credit card support lines opens 24/7 so you can call them and tell them you got SIMjacked and maybe put a hold on your cards (but make sure you still have cash.. so you would need to visit an ATM before putting things on hold).

 

Lastly tell people on your contacts that you got SIMjacked and tell them to watch out.

 

In the future, use authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Authy to avoid this quagmire.

geopublic
Mayor / Maire

@s3rj wrote:

not sure this is where this belongs but I think someone has hijacked my number, I need help NOW
my phone says my sim is not registered to the network and when I called my number someone picked up on the other end that obviously wasn't me, this needs attention NOW.


@s3rj Are you still able to access your selfserve account? If yes, change your password immediately and suspend your service by declaring your phone stolen.

 

Also contact the moderator and include all your account info. Let them know if you cannot access selfserve.

 

To contact Public Mobile click here. The link  sends you to the private message function and adds the moderator team as recipient for a private message. You just have to enter a title and text in the body of the message describing the problem and post. The message will be received by the moderator team and they will respond to it. You will receive the response in your private message inbox.

Moderators are available: M-F from 8 AM to midnight Eastern time and S-S from 8 AM to 10 PM Eastern time.

Note: Moderator Hours are subject to change, but you can always find the current times here

Please note that account verification may be required when contacting the Moderator Team 

 

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I tried but no email comes through.

thesakinator
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

make sure you call customer service and block your number first then they will help with next actions.

oglat
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

ok if you try to reset password what happens?

just noticed the authentiation thingie

s3rj
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

looks like they got the whole thing. Whats worse is I use my phone for two factor authentication.

oglat
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

can you try resetting your password? or did that person already change the email on file

oglat
Town Hero / Héro de la Ville

@GinYVR wrote:

@oglatYou cannot suspend autopay without selfserve access.


i meant call credit card company and suspend it temporarily

@oglatYou cannot suspend autopay without selfserve access.

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