Someone hacked my Amazon.com account

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

So my Amazon.com account was hacked.

I was browsing my junk mail folder of my hotmail account today for no apparent reason and noticed an email from Amazon stating that a $500 digital camera that “I” had purchased had returned undeliverable and that “my” AmEx account would be credited.

But I didn’t buy that camera.

So I logged onto my Amazon account and amazingly enough the perpetrator had not changed the password. I changed the password to a much stronger one immediately.

The perp bought about $2,000 worth of electronics and shipped them all to an address (unknown to me) in New Jersey, all on Feb. 15th.

Even more amazingly, the perp did not use my own credit card that I had on account at Amazon. He charged the goods to a seemingly bogus American Express card in my name, but it was not my card.

I am so lucky. He could have easily ripped me off using my own credit card. I have since deleted my credit card from my Amazon account. Amazon customer service indicates that I will have to delete the card from my account immediately after every time I buy something there because the default is to store the credit card account number.

I’ve checked my credit card for any suspicious charges but nothing has come up. Because Amazon shows only the last four digits of my credit card, I’m guessing the only thing he could charge to my credit card would be to Amazon. Right?

I spoke to my credit card company and American Express and they said everything should be okay but to check my credit report for any suspicious accounts. They also tried to sell me a service for $12.00 a month alerting me anytime anyone applies for credit in my name.

Seems like a rip-off because I don’t know how the perp could get my SSN and birth date just by hacking my Amazon account.

Any advice and anyone else’s similar experiences would be welcome.

2

The credit agencies provide this service for free, I believe.

3

He probably couldn’t charge anything using your credit card, even at Amazon. I just sent a friend some books, and Amazon made me re-enter all my credit card details, because I was having stuff shipped to a new address.

4

This. I just sent my friend a three wolf moon shirt (WHAT?) and because it wasn’t one of my on file addresses, I had to reenter everything.

5

Friends don’t let friends wear wolf t-shirts!

6

Your friend is about to become the sexiest person in town.

7

I hope they cancelled your Amex and are going to reissue you a new number. There’s no reason not to get a new number just to be safe.

It most likely was a way of using a stolen credit card and connecting it to a legit person.

8

Did you log into Amazon by going to Amazon.com, or by clicking a link on that e-mail that you received? Because it kinda sounds like a phishing e-mail, designed to make you log in to a fake Amazon site and give away your password.

9

I actually bought myself one earlier today (for the lulz, naturally) and she mentioned how she wished she had one. Then, a bit later, she found out her grandpa was entering hospice today. So, yeah, I overnighted her something that’ll hopefully make her smile tomorrow. It’s worth it, I tells ya!

Second to me. Wait, we live in different towns, so it’s all good.

10

Good call, but in fact I did log in to Amazon by going to Amazon.com.

Thanks

11

Good call! So that’s why he didn’t use my credit card. I feel better already.

Thank You!

12

Well, I think you’ve hit that one right on the head–that’s probably exactly what happened.

Thanks

13

The Consumerist blog had a warning a couple of weeks ago about a flaw in Amazon’s password system:

I haven’t seen any update as to whether or not Amazon has addressed this issue, but I changed my password anyway, to be safe.

14

I prefer the Three Rowlf Moon T-shirt.