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Internet Microsoft Investigates Xbox Live Fraud
Marcus Yam (Blog) - March 21, 2007 2:38 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 33 comment(s) - last by glennpratt.. on Mar 22 at 9:53 AM
Xbox Live users report stolen account information

Microsoft is investigating possible fraud on its Xbox Live service following customer complaints of having their accounts stolen. Kevin Finisterre was playing Halo on a recent night with several friends when some of their opponents threatened to steal their accounts, he told CNET. Finisterre is posting updates on his Web site on the status of Xbox Live account.

“Literally the next day my girl's account was locked out,” Finisterre wrote in an e-mail Tuesday. “I received a message on my Xbox that said: 'We are sorry we must log you out of Xbox Live because someone else is using your Gamertag.'”

Other troubled users report that their credit card information was stolen to buy Microsoft Points, a form of currency used to buy games downloads on Xbox Live.

“My Xbox Live account was hacked and all credit card info was stolen and used to run up points, etc.  Microsoft says, 'Oh, well, better call your credit card companies; nothing we can do.' Beware that, like Internet Explorer, you are not safe on Xbox Live either.  And Microsoft just walks away from it,” wrote a user of the Xbox Forums.

While Microsoft is not addressing specific concerns just yet, a representative said in a statement provided to CNET: “Recently, there have been reports of fraudulent activity and account theft taking place on the Xbox Live network … Security is a top priority for Xbox Live, and we are actively investigating all reports of fraudulent behavior and theft.”

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Don't use debit cards online...
By alifbaa on 3/21/2007 3:27:14 PM , Rating: 4
This is a good example of why you don't want to use debit cards online. By the time you notice a problem, the crooks already have your money, and you have to argue with the bank to get your money refunded. If you use a credit card, you can just dispute the balance and still have the use of your money for the month or two it takes to get things settled.

Of course credit card fraud can happen anywhere, but the internet is a higher-risk place than most. People need to take proper precautions.

Just my $0.02




RE: Don't use debit cards online...
By therealnickdanger on 3/21/2007 3:50:28 PM , Rating: 5
Yet another reason why I'm happy Microsoft offers Microsoft Points cards in stores. People can buy them with cash, take them home and enter the code: no reason to use real money online.


By feelingshorter on 3/21/2007 8:09:49 PM , Rating: 2
I'm afraid of people and the sun. What do I do? Oh that reminds me, Citi has those temporary credit cards. Wish other banks did that.


RE: Don't use debit cards online...
By vitul on 3/21/2007 11:15:17 PM , Rating: 1
just a reason for the sony fan boys to be happy, they get the online service free


By clockhar on 3/22/2007 6:41:16 AM , Rating: 2
yea, 'cause everything on sony's online service is free ... they're still may have the same problem (except they can't buy 'points' of some sort through brick-and-mortar stores)


By FITCamaro on 3/21/2007 4:02:31 PM , Rating: 2
I would also say a lot of the problems in the online marketplace is that people use insanely easy passwords for accounts. A popular word, a commonly known acronym, etc. I ran an ftp server for some friends once and asked them to give me passwords for their accounts. Some of the stuff they gave me was pathetically easy.


RE: Don't use debit cards online...
By Mitch101 on 3/21/2007 4:13:05 PM , Rating: 2
I couldnt agree with you more.

I get into this same problem at the bank. I want a MAC only card not a VISA. At some banks they say its not an option and I leave and at the banks where they do offer this they act stunned about it.

When they ask why I simply explain because if I lose or have my card stolen they cant deplete my checking account and with a regular credit card they arent depleting my cash because they havent received it. But with a MAC/VISA card I know your not simply going to credit me with several grand quickly enough. With a MAC/VISA they might as well be stealing the cash directly out of your bank account.


RE: Don't use debit cards online...
By Ralph The Magician on 3/21/2007 10:08:39 PM , Rating: 2
Why do you capitalize all the letters in Mac?


By Ralph The Magician on 3/21/2007 10:09:43 PM , Rating: 2
On. NVM. They are all capitalized. Huh. I never knew that.


RE: Don't use debit cards online...
By Ralph The Magician on 3/21/2007 10:07:09 PM , Rating: 1
This is a good example of why Microsoft should let you fucking REMOVE a credit/debit card from your account once you've added it. It's fucking retarded that it stays on there FOREVER.

With something like this you should have the option, like you do on most sites to delete credit card information. Even sites that don't let you do this online are more than happy to clear the information (from the system you can see anyway) by calling them. Moreover, you should also have the option to set it so that you must key in your card number, or at least the last few digits or SOMETHING before you can purchase anything.

The way it is right now is completely retarded. Enter a credit card number and it's bound to the account until you cancel it. What. The. Fuck.


RE: Don't use debit cards online...
By kristof007 on 3/22/2007 1:12:55 AM , Rating: 2
I think they force you to keep the card info on there so they can just bill you yearly and for the Xbox Live Gamer Points. Sucks for us and awfully convenient for Microsoft ... and hackers too it seems.


By Ralph The Magician on 3/22/2007 2:28:37 AM , Rating: 2
You can turn off the auto-renew. In fact, it may not even be turned on by default. I can't remember.

The reason they keep it on file is supposed to be for your "convenience" so you don't have to enter the information everytime you want to buy points. That convenience comes at the price of secuirty. It's just that simple.

There should be SOMETHING to stop someone from buying stuff on your account. Enter the last four digits, the CCV code, your name, the expiration date, SOMETHING.


By Tsuwamono on 3/21/2007 10:39:10 PM , Rating: 2
or live in canada where your Checking account is covered from theft up to 200 000$ CDN and your Savings account is covered up to 400 000$

Take my money if you like, the government will pay me back anyway lol


just wait until live hits the pc
By michal1980 on 3/21/07, Rating: 0
RE: just wait until live hits the pc
By NuroMancer on 3/21/2007 3:44:04 PM , Rating: 4
Do us all a favor and stop posting here Michal1980. Seriously, you would think that after getting voted to -1 enough times it would take away your priviledge to post here.

Anyway, this is somewhat concerning, thankfully this kind of theft should be fairly easy to track for Microsoft's Game devision, and then their laywers :D


RE: just wait until live hits the pc
By somegeek on 3/21/07, Rating: 0
RE: just wait until live hits the pc
By michal1980 on 3/21/07, Rating: 0
RE: just wait until live hits the pc
By KaiserCSS on 3/21/2007 7:53:29 PM , Rating: 4
quote:
They just hate that i am smarter then them


LOL.
I laughed so hard I think I wet my pants.

Seriously dude, when you display basic comprehension about what you are arguing about, then we'll start to believe you are a serious member of DailyTech. Because it's quite obvious from the content of almost all of your posts that you are either a) completely clueless about what you're talking about, b) are too young to effectively debate anything or c) are trying to argue a moot point with terrible grammar, so much so that it's hard to tell if you even have a point. Other than wasting key strokes, I'm not sure what you're trying to accomplish here. However, I would like to thank you for contributing to the legion of trolls who make most DailyTech articles so amusing to read.

I'm actually almost convinced that somegeek and michal1980 are one and the same, or at least work together, since they can be found together in most articles. But hey, I gotta hand it to them, they're not as blatantly stupid as cornfedone.

/flame

Now then, about the article: People need to try to be a bit more careful when dealing with electronic currency and the like. No matter how good a protection system may be, there will always be people trying to circumvent it. It's a danger we all encounter in this digital age. Fraud is getting big, so play it smart and use caution.


Moderated
By James Holden on 3/21/07, Rating: -1
RE: just wait until live hits the pc
By KristopherKubicki (blog) on 3/21/2007 8:01:38 PM , Rating: 6
Although I rarely agree with Michal, he's never violated any of the site terms of service. Once in a blue moon he says something interesting, and I always vote him up when he does.