topic Re: How did they get my password? in Electronics

How did they get my password?

NickNack — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 14:40:37 GMT

I got a spam email this morning giving me my password (it really was one of my passwords) and saying they were watching me and listening to me. It said they had installed Malware on my computer. It asked for $1,200 to be paid to them by Bitcoin within 2 days. Fortunately the password isn't one that I use for banking.

It was a long email and said some gross untrue things. It said it could put all my information on the web if I didn't pay them.

It came to my junk mail box. Normally I would just delete something like that, but they did have my password. I NEVER click on a link in an email. I never believe any email that says my account has been compromised and to click on the link and change my password.

I immediately scheduled a call from Apple. They did a Malware Bytes check and also checked to see if anyone could video me or listen to me. They looked at different things in lots of areas of my computer and could find nothing. I spent a lot of time on the phone with Apple with nothing found. She told me to change any place where I used that password and to run Malware Bytes and clear my history frequently.

I can't figure out how they got my password. I haven't given it to anybody. Is it someone who works for one of the places that I use this password? The Apple consultant said she couldn't guess how they got it. Sorry this was so long.

Re: How did they get my password?

Biftu — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 15:02:32 GMT

I've recieved this type of email a few times in the past. I never open, and delete it. Since I never opened it, I don't know what the message said other than the message line which did have my correct info. Nothing has come of it. You will never figure out how unscrupulous hackers get this information but it is done all the time to prey on the vulnerables.

Re: How did they get my password?

rms1954 — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 14:56:27 GMT

They are hackers -- experts at what they do. Who knows how they do it. These days we put all our information out there so it's a liability we all have to deal with.

Re: How did they get my password?

CAcableGirl2 — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 14:58:08 GMT

@NickNack That is very scary. Thank you for posting this warning to everyone.

I think it's a great reminder to have different passwords for different sites just in case someone somehow gets access to one, so the others are still secure.

Re: How did they get my password?

goldensrbest — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 14:58:45 GMT

I would never click on that.

Re: How did they get my password?

cindyNC — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 15:01:01 GMT

I received the same email message on a Time Warner email address that I stopped using about 2-3 years ago........periodically I check it. Ignored it.

I also use different passwords for my banking accounts and different ones for my retail accounts.

Re: How did they get my password?

Bird mama — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 15:06:48 GMT

I received some threatening emails like that about a month ago. They were in my junk folder which I promptly emptied. I didn't open them or read them. Some said, in the title no less, that they had photos or video they were going to release. Really? I don't post personal photos online so they must have been in my backyard spying on me, rofl.

I'd say I received them a couple of times a week for maybe 2 weeks and then they moved on to another person.

Re: How did they get my password?

Desertdi — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 15:18:21 GMT

I have gotten "supposed" emails from my brother-in-law, and a girlfriend, both DECEASED............

Re: How did they get my password?

NickNack — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 15:21:25 GMT

@goldensrbest wrote:
I would never click on that.

@goldensrbest I didn't. My mail is already open. I don't do anything to open it. As long as you don't click on a link it's okay to read the email.

Re: How did they get my password?

fluffysmom — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 15:29:59 GMT

I'm getting the calls that my computer has been infected by several different countries and says to call them to get a new number for my computer.

Re: How did they get my password?

ImABoor — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 15:48:46 GMT

Ignore it. I get them all the time in my Spam. They have 2 old passwords that I used years ago. If you look on line you will see it is a scam. Don't let this rattle you.

They always threaten to show videos of you at the computer. Put a piece of paper over your camera for your peace of mind.

I have Life L--k protection & was notified this morning that my e-mail appeared on the dark web. I just went in & changed my password.

Just have a different password for all of your sites. I typed out a list & that shows all of my passwords.

Make sure that you change any passwords frequently that involve banking or credit cards.

Hope this helps.

Re: How did they get my password?

Tori3569 — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 15:59:47 GMT

While I’m certainly not minimizing your concern, I’m surprised that others actually look at or even read anything in a spam or junk folder. I use a laptop, an iPad and iPhone for work and personal and never do anything with those folders other than empty them by right clicking (so not even looking at the emails).

If a legit email sends something that goes to my junk folder, I would never know it and have never had an issue. I just let the apple and windows filters do what they do.

As for your password, I can see where that could be unsettling, but there have been so many breaches, it could have happened from any of those. They definitely have had my email and passwords from past hacks, but I change passwords all the time and use the apple strong password manager to create lengthy ones. Just a suggestion.

Re: How did they get my password?

goldensrbest — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 16:00:45 GMT

This darn pop up i have got for months now, always 2 at a time,saying apple wants to make changes, i have tried to get rid of it ,many times ,it is hackers my son says trying to get in.

Re: How did they get my password?

KentuckyWoman — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 16:05:57 GMT

OMG! I so feel you pain and anger.

The same thing happened to me on Thrusday morning! When I opened our email there was a message "recorded you my name." They had my password but it was an old password. I had changed it about six weeks ago when I noticed something wonky going on with Spectrum Webmail. Anyway, they wanted $1400 bitcoins or they would release lewd photos of me on the dark web. They said they had been using my webcam to record me. They also said they had all my passwords to all my websites. We have Webroot Internet and malware security. We subscribe to the Geek Squad so my husband contacted them. They spent over an hour cleaning up and checking out everything but they didn't find any malware. It is an email scam but I am still a wreck because I do not know how they got the email password, even if it is an old one. This email came into my spam folder. Normally, I don't read them and I never click on any links. I am still baffled how they got the old email.

Re: How did they get my password?

vsm — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 16:19:28 GMT

@NickNack No, don't even read the email, which is itself a link and could be infected. Instead, forward the email to your IP security.

Re: How did they get my password?

BlueFinch — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 16:30:10 GMT

@NickNack Hello, I'm new here and although I've lurked for a good while and have thoroughly enjoyed this forum, I was leery to join an established group. I couldn't let this pass by though, without comment. Excuse novice mistakes, getting to know this system. I'll give a little bio in the future about who I am.

I feel your pain. I was contacted by Amazon security, that someone had hacked my e-mail, then my Ammy PW and they were running all over my profile there, and likely everywhere else. I was advised it was serious and I needed to change ALL my PW's. BUT, before changing ANY PW's, I was instructed to FIRST change my PW with my e-mail, internet provider. To start at the top! Only then to change other PW's, since it seems often it is a break into your server, with a trickle down from there. I'm remaining cautious, but no issues since. It sure put a scare in me since they had full access into my life, friends, family and other accounts. So, please change your internet server PW first before other accounts to be on the safe side.

Wishing you the best and for all of us having to deal with such nonsense. It's very unnerving.

Re: How did they get my password?

Imaoldhippie — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 16:31:48 GMT

Hackers probably have pages upon pages of made up passwords. If they get a "hit" thats good for them. It was a stab in the dark. They really didnt know that it was your password. A true hacker would never give you a heads up.

The best thing to do for passwords these days is to use sentences along with some symbols

Re: How did they get my password?

NickNack — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 16:38:41 GMT

@Imaoldhippie wrote:
Hackers probably have pages upon pages of made up passwords. If they get a "hit" thats good for them. It was a stab in the dark. They really didnt know that it was your password. A true hacker would never give you a heads up.

The best thing to do for passwords these days is to use sentences along with some symbols

@Imaoldhippie This was definitely my password. No one else could have come up with that unless they knew me well.

Re: How did they get my password?

dooBdoo — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 16:42:00 GMT

@vsm wrote:
@NickNack No, don't even read the email, which is itself a link and could be infected. Instead, forward the email to your IP security.

@vsm, This is an important point. Simply opening an email message can sometimes transmit information to the sender or automatically download something to our device -- particularly if our settings enable it to "load remote images." Some email providers will automatically block/disable loading the remote image URLs for this reason, and they'll display a message asking if you want to see/display them (don't do it if it's a suspicious message).

Re: How did they get my password?

Annabellethecat66 — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 16:56:46 GMT

OK, so here's what I want YOU and everyone on here to do. I'm not joking.

I came up with this idea on my own (go figure). Even my son-in-law who has an amazing security job said, "Wow! I'm going to use that".

OK, so think of a short phrase that would only make sense to you. Not one you use a lot but one that maybe describes your cat or dog. This is just an example: I love the store49!

Some places require numbers also, caps, and some even ! (things like that).

I guarantee you no one would be able to figure that out. I do things like that! Just make sure it's one you'll remember or write it down (of course).

There are any number of ways to get pass words. I'm not savvy enough to go into it here; (my son-in-law taught me things to avoid). I've been told if a person goes on facebook, etc. They can get it.

Anyway, just Thursday I got an email about something from my car. It was bogus but they were going to run one of my credit cards to pay for it. I don't have any credit cards. But I did call the number in the email. It had my car's brand name, everything and it MIGHT have been on the up and up. It was a renewal notice.

Anyway, they wanted to know the last numbers of my SSN, then they wanted to know my favorite color (that's one way they get security numbers/words. Many people use their favorite color, the name of their pets, etc.

If you have to come up with numbers (which I've had to do for security reasons) I give them numbers from people I knew when I was a kid.

I did have my debit card stolen (well the numbers) back 2 years ago 2 days before Christmas! I didn't even realize it. A guy (security guy) from my bank called me and said that someone had broken into the gas pump I'd used (broken into the pump) and gotten the numbers and pins, etc from the magnetic tape that stores all of that when you get gas.

I asked my son-in-law how they were able to do that without my card. He said the thieves have a tape reader (you can buy them in a lot of places) then they can go to a bank outside, a 7-11 machine, etc and get money from YOUR account.

Long story short, they sucked out $489 from my account. Why that amount. Well, you see if it's under $500 the bank doesn't pursue them.

I was so angry because the bank guy kept saying, "Why are you upset? We've already refunded your money. But you can't use the card until you get your new one".

That was 2 days before Christmas. I told him I was lucky because I had access to other accounts, but how many people don't. Two days before Christmas and you can't use that account!!!

Here's what he told me to do. NEVER get gas from any pump that doesn't have a black strip across where you see a key for the attendants to get to the magnetic tape that holds your numbers. Also, when you use your card, put your hand over the punch numbers when you do it. He's investigated where people watch (long distance) people using the card and punching the numbers! Crazy, I know!

There's an EXXON station I go to to get gas. It has the black tape over it. Here's what the tape says, "If this tape is broken....do not use this pump...go inside and notify the attendant".

This happened about a month ago. I went to several pumps and the tape was broken. I went inside and told the attendant. He thanked me and said the authorities would be notified.

And now you know what I learned. So, my daughter lives in an area in Florida where there are armed gates at all entrances. Billionaires live in this place. Yet, maybe 3 years ago, while her sister was visiting her there, they both left their purses inside the car while a few feet from the playground.

They left for a few minutes and when they came back someone had broken into the car and stole their purses. It was a real headache because one daughter was ready to fly back home.

My point? Well, more like where there's a will there's a way. Who knows how these people (probably workers) got into the place, but they did. The guards were fired and it was a real big deal there.

The world we live in we pay a price for all of this luxury in almost every way.