Computer newbies: HELP please. Hotmail. Identity theft. Password reset.
HELP please. Hotmail. Identity theft. Password reset.
by Paul3637 - 3/2/07 7:11 PMI am writing on behalf of a good friend. She has a crimminal case pending against a friend she let borrow her laptop who changed her password etc. - in addition to rolling up over $25,000 on her credit cards. In the meantime, my friend has lost her ability to access her own hotmail account so she cannot view, send or receive emails.
The msn Hotmail website is like circular voicemail and no way to get back her orighinal password. She put it in so long ago, she does not remember the passcode or the answer to the so called secret question.
Is there a phone number that can be called for her to clear things up with Hotmail?
I have searched google and yahoo for hours. Nothing works.
I have had to reset passwords on AOL and all you have to do is call them, press a couple buttons, then they ask you a few questions and it is all over.
Why no similar system for HOTMAIL?
Any help would be appreciated. This is not for me, it is for a friend who is having anxiety attacks that are not fair to her.
Can ANYONE provide direct or indirect help?
Hotmail Identity Theft
by Traceyy - 3/2/07 11:59 PM In reply to: HELP please. Hotmail. Identity theft. Password reset. by Paul3637Only thing I can think off is for her to open a new hotmail account and email them stating what has happened, they will probably ask for the answer to her secret question if she doesnt remember then I doubt she will be successful but it could be worth a try.
Thanks for response. Will have to get new hotmail account.
by Paul3637 - 3/3/07 8:13 AM In reply to: Hotmail Identity Theft by TraceyyWill follow your suggestion about getting a new account. (Going to the link you provided put us right back where we started from.)
She does not know if she just does not remember her password and secret question or if it was changed.
Nonetheless, I will make sure she has a second alternative email account (yahoo or gmail) to which a password can be mailed to so it won't happen again. The Hotmail password reset system is the ultimate in the absurd - they will mail your new password to your Hotmail address but you still need the old password or secret code to get to it. No online or telephone help is available.
She had set her hotmail account up years ago, before getting her current 2005 Dell laptop and it worked fine until the identity theft occurred.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Did they try
by PudgyOne - 3/3/07 1:38 AM In reply to: HELP please. Hotmail. Identity theft. Password reset. by Paul3637the lost password URL?
https://accountservices.msn.com/uiresetpw.srf?lc=1033&id=2
type in their email address and the picture graphics. Then follow the instructions.
Pick a password with numbers and letters. Do NOT use words in a dictionary, too easy to crack.
Good luck,
Rick
Yes- tried & did not work but thanks for the suggestion.
by Paul3637 - 3/3/07 8:01 AM In reply to: Did they try by PudgyOneNo trouble seeing the graphics but when she cannot answer the secret question it is essentially all over. I am going to tell her to set up a new Hotmail account and try the email thing with them. I guess when something is free, you get what you pay for !!!!! But they should warn you there is NO tech support in advance. --- Note that AOL is free now when you bring your own broadband .... I pay the $4.95 a month for the telephone tech support and have used it only once since they dropped the prior $9.95 per month plan. I figured out that if you just keep hanging up on people the cannot speak English, you ultimately get someone who does speak English and will help with any problem remotely related to AOL. Even on the freebie plan, you get live on line chat for free. Not so with Hotmail. Thus, it appears Hotmail isn't so hot. (I have ATT/yahoo DSL elite - she has cable high speed internet).
Paul,
by PudgyOne - 3/3/07 1:51 PM In reply to: Yes- tried & did not work but thanks for the suggestion. by Paul3637Check your mailbox. I gave you some information.
Rick
hotmail...
by bdmxz - 3/15/07 10:25 AM In reply to: HELP please. Hotmail. Identity theft. Password reset. by Paul3637http://support.live.com/eform.aspx?productKey=wlid&page=wlsupport_home_options_form_byemail&ct=eformts
try this email from some type of email in the next 24 to 48 hours and i will have a phone number to hotmail to help with the password.
Hotmail problems
by eBayJunkie - 3/16/07 10:08 PM In reply to: HELP please. Hotmail. Identity theft. Password reset. by Paul3637There is nothing she can do, unfortuneately. (She also needs to keep a journal/notebook of all her names/accounts/passwords. Some of these you don't go into all the time and you will never remember them when you want to.)
She basically has to set up a new Hotmail Account. (She will unfortunately loose all her contacts and stored mail.)
Hotmail (afterthought)
by eBayJunkie - 3/16/07 10:13 PM In reply to: Hotmail problems by eBayJunkieI have several hotmail accounts and as long as you're aware of what the Free account provides and what it doesn't you do okay.
I've had my accounts now for over six years. Since that time, now when you sign up (main from page - click on Set Up Account) they will allow you to put in another (other than hotmail) email address so that if you run into problems they can still email you your password etc. (But again, you still have to be able to answer the secret question etc.)
Craked HotMail account & saving your passwords
by fisherv - 3/17/07 12:22 AM In reply to: Hotmail problems by eBayJunkieFirst - never (did I say NEVER???) set your PC up for auto-login ,i.e. 'remember me' at ANY website. This is why your associate lost all her security information to her 'friend'. (And I have to say - what kind of dumb bunny lends a laptop to someone with even the remotest potential of ID Theft? I won't let my KIDS on my laptop.)
Some people shouldn't be allowed to use computers or operate dangerous equipment like power tools and automobiles. Your associate sounds like one. Just curious - how many car accidents has she had?
Second - have a good, secure '2nd e-mail account'. Instead of writing all those passwords and URLs down, e-mail them to yourself. Make a folder e.g "password", etc. and SECURE the account.
That way you never lose any of the 28 passwords that the world requires of you now.
HINT: For you road warriors - nice place to keep scans of passport, driver's license, etc. - so when you lose everything after waking up naked and hung over in the Trevi Fountain, you can print the stuff out and get replacements at the Embassy.
Dont be so nasty
by meisinscotland - 3/17/07 11:36 AM In reply to: Craked HotMail account & saving your passwords by fishervThat was rather nasty! I let a friend use my laptop all the time, its called TRUST! And I have come a long way from not trusting anyone, and, my anxiety is getting better so I am proud of that.
To the original poster:
I had a friend who had this situation and he was asked A LOT of questions. Secret question, last e-mail recieved, last sent, last folder created, favourite contact, etc etc..
Good luck and god bless!
Wah - MeisinScotland
by fisherv - 4/19/07 12:53 AM In reply to: Dont be so nasty by meisinscotlandBoo hoo - TRUST??? read the original post. The lunkheaded girl lent a laptop to a 'friend' (????) who stole personal data and perpetrated identity theft against her for over $25,000! Doh!
What kind of FRIEND is THAT??????
It's not how I define a friend.....
TRUST has nothing to do with it. Don't share personal data.
And you think I was being 'nasty'?
crack the account yourself
by qaz111111 - 3/17/07 12:08 PM In reply to: HELP please. Hotmail. Identity theft. Password reset. by Paul3637Get a brute force password program and crack the password yourself. I have seen them used and they aren't too tough to work. Then you could get back in and change the password to something new and recover your account and all that's in it.
Wow thanks, now we all feel safer!
by meisinscotland - 3/19/07 8:56 AM In reply to: crack the account yourself by qaz111111D'oh! Thx for sharing that with us! So anyone can get hold of one of these passie crackers and break an account? Wow isnt that a scary thought... 
Yahoo Answers
by Suzette Broomfield - 3/17/07 8:06 PM In reply to: HELP please. Hotmail. Identity theft. Password reset. by Paul3637Gosh, I really feel badly for your friend. Have you tried Yahoo Answers? Good luck!
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