How did someone change my on-line name?

Factual Questions
1

Okay, I admit that from time-to-time I play a first-person shooter game online. In order to do this, one must select a user name just like one does for this board.

I’ve been playing this particular game off and on for over a year with no surprises, but today I noticed that my user name had been completely changed. Not just a letter or two that might indicate a corrupted file, but a completely different name. It was as though I logged on to the SDMB and discovered that I am now Coldfire. I could understand it if I was a member of someone’s server clan, but that is not the case.

How is this possible? Has my firewall been breeched? Should I do an immediate virus scan? How could someone do this? Thanks.

2

A one-time bump, cuz this is really freaking me out. Somebody? Anybody?

3

What game? What platform? If it’s Half-life on a Windows PC, the names are locally stored, but servers you log into can change it, sometimes.

If you provide more information, perhaps someone who knows about your particular configuration can chime in.

4

Yeah, a PC with XP. The game is Medal of Honor. I wasn’t aware that a server you log onto could change the username and cause it to be changed on MY computer. Why would someone do such a thing?

5

Well, in the case of Half-Life, some time ago, a server mod was running on a set of servers I used to visit which changed the name of anyone who wasn’t running anti-cheat software.

Not sure why. It was some stupid name, too, like “Sweet Baby Powderpuff Princess” or something like that.

6

Other MOH serverside mods can change certain things in your settings, usually for a reason (such as which player models you’re using - to circumvent bright skins).

So it may be possible to change your name, though seemingly pointless.

7

medal of honor and others will use the computer “user name” if another is not specified.
For instance I see a lot people on servers for a game i play that have the name “administrtor” or “user” or some other default name. I log on my computer as “Pa” (since becoming a grandfather I love that name!), And was surprised to see “Pa” show up as the user name when I go online for that game as well as 3 others I play.
So…either make a new profile name in the game, or use the name you want as your system sign in name.

8

I know that some of the servers have rules about crude or offensive usernames. Mine is a play on words (Ben Dover), but not necessarily crude (unless you’re easily offended). It could be that someone took exception to the name and changed it to “pooh bear”. Og save us from moralists and censors.