Unconfirmed reports have emerged of "serious issues" on the PlayStation Network involving hackers illegally accessing users' personal information.
According to PS3 user Dom Guerrera, the credit card information stored on his PSN account was charged around $350 worth of PSN content he didn't authorise.
According to Guerrera, this information was illegally accessed via a 'code generator' website which he was duped into accessing via a slew of chain e-mails.
Apparently the e-mails offer a link to a code generator website for "free" PlayStation Network content and are currently doing the rounds in cyberspace.
If you think you've also been affected by these e-mails, it's recommended that you delete your PSN credit card information, change your e-mail and password and contact Sony customer service for more instructions.
It's all unconfirmed at the moment but we've contacted Sony for comment.
I really don't understand how people fall for these email scams.
As far as I'm concerned, if you're unable to have the common sense to think "maybe I shouldn't give out my details based on a too-good-to-be-true offer", then you deserve to have your account raided.
I'm sorry but if you get tricked by this type of thing, it sucks but surely alarm bells should be ringing in your head; "Hmm free stuff and all I have to do is give them my account details, sounds good to me"
Also, I hardly think "Playstation Network under attack" is an appropriate headline given that it's people's idiocy causing their accounts to be raided - not a problem with PSN's security.
Also, I hardly think "Playstation Network under attack" is an appropriate headline given that it's people's idiocy causing their accounts to be raided - not a problem with PSN's security.
lol i was thinking this and then it occured to me, well with the feb 28th fiasco that made the internet light up like vegas and psn being googles nummero uno search phrase, they were looking for the same intrest from people and get more hits.......fail
Why do people fall for these e-mail scams? They're obviously a con, I don't know how it could be more obvious.
Off topic: CVG, do something about these damn adverts!! Banner ads are okay but when I'm on the main page first I get Monster Hunter Tri popping up filling half my screen so I close it and then a Blu-Ray ad fills my screen which takes ages for the X button to appear to close it. Finally I get a big box ad for Nier pop up which I too have to close before I can look at which articles I want to browse. All three ads, one after the other. It's ridiculous >_<
Off topic: CVG, do something about these damn adverts!! Banner ads are okay but when I'm on the main page first I get Monster Hunter Tri popping up filling half my screen so I close it and then a Blu-Ray ad fills my screen which takes ages for the X button to appear to close it. Finally I get a big box ad for Nier pop up which I too have to close before I can look at which articles I want to browse. All three ads, one after the other. It's ridiculous >_<
Agreed! Please CVG. Get rid. They are doing my head in. I just want to read an article without a huge '3' glaring at me.
I got that email from someone on my friends list, who added me from CVG. sounded too good to be true, so i did what i usually do it such situations, made a general grunt (think i may have also scratched my bottom but that's besides the point)
from what i see the site has a specific link to track who you send it to in order to get your free money, so it may be possible that you will just access the site from your ps3 and they can get into your info that way without you giving your life story.
I'm an unemployed bum at the moment anyway so they can try if they like but they ain't getting much from me
I got a couple messages from PSN friends yesterday to follow this link they sent, I looked from the 1st message, I knew something wasn't right when I saw what it was and I didn't trust it straight away that it'll be a scam.
According to Guerrera, this information was illegally accessed via a 'code generator' website which he was duped into accessing via a slew of chain e-mails.
this says it all....
you made it sound like psn was hacked, when it was just some moron that went to punk site and got robbed of his psn details..lmao, they really need start policing couples, intead of letting just anyone having children
Off topic: CVG, do something about these damn adverts!! Banner ads are okay but when I'm on the main page first I get Monster Hunter Tri popping up filling half my screen so I close it and then a Blu-Ray ad fills my screen which takes ages for the X button to appear to close it. Finally I get a big box ad for Nier pop up which I too have to close before I can look at which articles I want to browse. All three ads, one after the other. It's ridiculous >_<
Agreed! Please CVG. Get rid. They are doing my head in. I just want to read an article without a huge '3' glaring at me.
Install Firefox and then install Adblock Plus. Every now and then I access CVG through IE and the adverts are never anything less than a pain in the bottom.
Hi everyone at CVG. I am here collecting bank account details and credit card numbers. Please PM all your details and if you have a 'lucky' number I will give you lots of errrrrrrr stuff.
Hello CVG, and everyone in the commenst section. I'm afraid you're all making the same mistake as I did, the original item posted on Ironstar seems to indicate this was an link in an email, however if you read "update 3" you will see ..
"The PlayStation Network chain messages" - it appears this dodgy link is being sent over PSN not email. Of course he could be making that up to cover his back, and he's still a plank for even using the link but if it is a PSN message then the implication is that somehow this site is accessing PSN information directly from the PS3 via the PSN, not cos some muppet typed in his username and password.
But as I said, he could still just be a plank trying to cover his back.
It's nothing to do with PSN. It is all up to stupid people who think email scams are genuine.
Sack spotty underage journalists if I were you, Mr CVG Boss.
I agree. It's nothing to do with PSN. Apart from PSN users using PSN code generators for free PSN funds, resulting in their PSN account been hacked.
I agree that the headline 'under attack' initally makes you think something like the servers have been hacked and all our account details have been stolen or something. But in CVG's defence the article is pretty clear and understandable. The words 'under attack' are in inverted commas which could just be a direct quote from the N4G.com website. http://n4g.com/News-511132.aspx
I will say that PSN is a network where people send these chain letters out willy nilly, I have had dozens of them I had to delete and the user sending them out!
I have never seen it on Xbox live! but PSN it appears to happen a lot, messages arrive from new friends telling you to send on the message to 35 other users etc etc..instant deletion of email and users...its a scam.....why havet sony done anything about it? Obviously MS must have as in 6 years I have not had one of these type of messages, but 1 year PSN I have had a dozen....
they said that the account was hijact only from opening a message on PSN. that is y its such a big deal. chainmail scams have been there a long time, but now theyre hacking thrue PSN.
i got the message yesterday from several ppl, and opend it. gonna go change my password now,. luckely i stopped using credit card along time ago, excactly cos companies dont have controll over things like this.
I will say that PSN is a network where people send these chain letters out willy nilly, I have had dozens of them I had to delete and the user sending them out!
I have never seen it on Xbox live! but PSN it appears to happen a lot, messages arrive from new friends telling you to send on the message to 35 other users etc etc..instant deletion of email and users...its a scam.....why havet sony done anything about it? Obviously MS must have as in 6 years I have not had one of these type of messages, but 1 year PSN I have had a dozen....
What exactly are you doing? PS3 has a browser that allows you to access email, 360 doesn't. Fanboy inciting stuff? On 360 you solicitations from individuals wanting to sell Achievements, so what are you saying? It's no different, on either system but I must say on 360 getting messages from random people wanting to sell you achievements is stupid. You get those dumb chain letters on PSN...any fool who thinks it's a good idea to give out personal information for free stuff, needs his head examined.
I'm somewhat confused by what this means...... The dude was charged for £350 of PSN content he didn't download!
Surely if its only on PSN content its gonna be pretty easy for them to trace who has used the content. Its not like its been used to buy a car or anything. Its a closed system so someone somewhere will know where its going.
Haha I can't believe this I got this message yesterday. One of my friends sent it me but luckily at the same time a got a message off the same person saying nevermind the link doesn't work. I would of clicked on it otherwise because it was my buddy who sent it me. Haha that must mean he's been hacked I'm going to ask him tonight when I get in from work!
Funny how one user getting whacked for stuff that users always do garners attention while the wholesale marketplace (E-Bay, etc...) selling of $150USD PSN cards is going largely neglected. I would think that a viral marketing of PSN cards at 10% of cost is of much more significant impact to Sony and, consequently, more newsworthy than this. *shrug*
Of course, there also the "psncodegenerator" site that recently popped up that would seem to be directly attached...
I checked out the website, you dont have to give out any information. It takes your ip address and marks it with a number, then you send 'your' link to your friends and once you have ten different ip's visit your link it gives you a different link to click on.
This different website asks you to complete a survey before you can move on. This is where the scam is. At the end of any of the surveys it asks for your cell phone number so they can text you the results. Its a subscription for some texting thing that charges you a $5 start-up cost and $10 monthly fee.
They dont steal your personal information, they try to scam you out of a quick fifteen bucks, or more if you dont cancel the subscription. I think this guy went on a massive shopping spree and then thought he could get his money back because of the scam going around. Hes sounds like a scammer himself.
Also a second thing, why has this happened to only 1 person?? With a scam like this they would've stolen from alot more people, not just 1 person. Plus where are the rest of the people that have been affected?? Well the truth is they dont exist.
This is exactly like the claims that the 3.21 update was crashing PS3s. Imagine that 1-2 days later there were no more complaints. The claims disappeared overnight, If it really was an issue then we would still be hearing about it. Its all false bullsh*t. Nice try.
This idiot probably gave one of his 'online' buddies his email/password so that they could game-share and the so-called friend went on a major shopping spree on his account.
Hi everyone at CVG. I am here collecting bank account details and credit card numbers. Please PM all your details and if you have a 'lucky' number I will give you lots of errrrrrrr stuff.
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