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Permanently banned for "Abuse of the Economy" and I haven't played my account in 2 years
rlmccoy1987
Member Posts: 1,722
I just checked my email and received an email from Blizzard saying my account was banned because "Abuse of the Economy" and it is not even active. In the past 2 years, I have used their WotLK trial 2 times and used a referral trial 1 time. I played a few hours on each trial but then got bored and uninstalled.
What does this mean? Doubt my account was hacked as they would have not even been able to play as all the trials have already expired months ago.
What should I do?
(i went to worldofwarcraft.com, typed it in manually, did not click any links in the email, and sure enough it is banned)
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***Notice of Account Closure***
Account Name: ****************
Reason for Closure: Terms of Use Violation -- Exploitative Activity: Abuse of the Economy
This account was closed because one or more characters were identified exchanging, or contributing to the exchange of, in-game property (items or gold) for "real-world" currency. This exchange process negatively impacts the World of Warcraft game environment by detracting from the value of the in-game economy.
Even if this behavior is the result of a third party accessing the account instead of the registered user (for example, a friend, family member, or leveling service) then the account can still be held responsible for the penalty because of the impact it had on the game environment.
We've found the above behavior is many times directly related to groups responsible for compromising World of Warcraft accounts; we take these issues very seriously. To better understand our position against exploitative activity and the risks involved, please review this article: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/basics/antigold.html
The exploitative activity that took place on this account violates the World of Warcraft Terms of Use. We ask you take a moment to review these terms at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/legal/termsofuse.html. Any recurring subscriptions on this account have been suspended to prevent further monetary charges.
For any disputes of this action, please visit the Exploitative Activity FAQ and Contact page here: http://us.blizzard.com/support/article/exploitfaq
Regards,
Blizzard Entertainment
www.worldofwarcraft.com
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Update, got it unbanned. Seems someone activated a WotLK trial on my account and I DID NOT EVEN GET AN EMAIL TELLING ME A TRIAL WAS ACTIVATED ON MY ACCOUNT! Blizzard has some terrible security going on here. The person that got into my account did not change my email/password, they just activated a trial and started spamming. Funny thing is, I contacted blizzard a few weeks ago asking if I could get a WotLK trial on my account so I could check out the new content, and they told me that it was impossible. But someone who ever got into my account was easily able to activate a WotLK trial that I requested and was denied. Nice...
This is the email back in December telling me it was impossible to add the WotLK trial back to my account and he told me to purchase the upgrade to get access again to WotLK
Comments
Make sure its real.. There is a rash of mails going out to everyone and god about account infractions that you need to "Imediatly contact Blizzard" for and then they try to get personal account info from you. Dont fall for it. Blizzard will never ask for your Account info, credit card number ect via e-mail
ignore it, delete the email and under no circumstances follow the links in the message attachment, its a bogus email just phishing for account details.
I just manually went to worldofwarcraft.com and logged into my account (did not click the link in my email) and sure enough it is banned.
Mouse over links in the email and check the status line at the bottom to see what the actual URLs are, especially if they're telling you to go to a page to verify your info, etc... good chance you'll see it going somewhere other than any official Blizzard site.
That's a common tactic used by RMT companies to get your info so they can compromise your account, strip your characters, empty the guild bank if applicable and then spam gold ads 'til the account is banned (and yet there are those who still insist that "RMT companies are harmless and are "merely providing a service").
I get those emails all the time for an account I haven't used in over 2 years as well. Unfortunately, it works enough to make it worth their while I guess.
Rule of thumb...
If you get an email like that and you think it might be valid, do not click on links in the email to go to the site. Go to the address bar and manually type in blizzard.com, etc. Do not use links in the email to go there.
Edit: Just read the other posts that followed - man, that was quick lol. So, yeah.. looks like the account has already been compromised... and again on an account that's not been in use.
and the cash shop selling asphalt..." - Mimzel on F2P/Cash Shops
I moused over them and they were legit. I then manually typed in worldofwarcraft.com and it was indeed banned. It was a legit email.
I moused over them and they were legit. I then manually typed in worldofwarcraft.com and it was indeed banned. It was a legit email.
Yeah, you typed in that update as I was typing my reply.
Well, if you intend on playing it, just contact them and let them know and they'll fix it. I'd let them know anyway, in case they block previously banned accounts who try to create new ones.
and the cash shop selling asphalt..." - Mimzel on F2P/Cash Shops
Wow posters need to actually READ the OP's full post because he clearly states he checked the actual WoW website to confirm it so it is not a scam
I wish they would, typed all that stuff and people don't even read it >_<
The wow hacker problem seems out of control
The password I used on this was a bunch of random stuff like "ADdbDbbEFgStUvV" as they made me change to the battlenet when I tried to use one of those trials. I did not even know my own password to it after the trial expired. It was just a bunch of random stuff. So the only why they could have hacked it was that it was a blizzard problem.
In the last couple of months I've heard a lot of friends say that their accounts have been hacked and/or banned. And a majority of those people would never use third party stuff or hire third parties to power-level their characters...
Interesting. Seems to be some sort of an outbreak.
Especially after I haven't subbed in 2 years and used 3 trials that expired months ago, while having a password that was something like "324r3EwerWR343" and then somehow I randomly get banned. Blizzard has some problems, I think someone hacked into their system.
Yeah, happened over here too. I have fully checked things up. It is something of an outbreak - but they worked pretty fast to fix it, once I got onto the call centre about it (took about an hour, all up)
I am playing EVE and it's alright... level V skills are a bit much.
You all need to learn to spell.
Yeah, happened over here too. I have fully checked things up. It is something of an outbreak - but they worked pretty fast to fix it, once I got onto the call centre about it (took about an hour, all up)
I honestly am not even going to play my account, its just interesting to watch what they do to it. Hope they respond fast in emails. I will keep you guys updated with the situation and what happens.
Do like it says on the website. Send an e-mail to wowacountadmin@blizzard.com and explain the situation to them. They will tell you what you need to do. Just don't expect a fast response as Blizzard customer service is backed up right now. They will get to your account in due time and since you aren't playing anyway you can wait.
I already did. This is just more evidence that someone hacked into blizzard's system. Banning an account that has not even been subbed in 2 years is a bit extreme.
The password I used on this was a bunch of random stuff like "ADdbDbbEFgStUvV" as they made me change to the battlenet when I tried to use one of those trials. I did not even know my own password to it after the trial expired. It was just a bunch of random stuff. So the only why they could have hacked it was that it was a blizzard problem.
What a bunch of nonsense ... You apparently don't realize most 'hacks' are being read by keyloggers gotten where ever, or through hacked emails, not through brute forcing passwords on account logins. The 'difficulty' of your password is meaningless to those types of security issues.
The fact that you changed to battlenet, and everyone else for that matter who didn't 'play' but *did* make the change to battlenet (There are surprisingly many of those btw, does that make sense to anyone? Why bother when you're not playing anyway?).
People need to realize that that meant that people dealt with their user/pass information again which they hadn't done in months/years, which opens an opportunity for people to obtain it through hacked email/keyloggers gotten after playing it. It's amazing how people automatically lay blame at Blizzard for stuff like this and start yapping about how secure 'their' computer is.
The password I used on this was a bunch of random stuff like "ADdbDbbEFgStUvV" as they made me change to the battlenet when I tried to use one of those trials. I did not even know my own password to it after the trial expired. It was just a bunch of random stuff. So the only why they could have hacked it was that it was a blizzard problem.
What a bunch of nonsense ... You apparently don't realize most 'hacks' are being read by keyloggers gotten where ever, or through hacked emails, not through brute forcing passwords on account logins. The 'difficulty' of your password is meaningless to those types of security issues.
The fact that you changed to battlenet, and everyone else for that matter who didn't 'play' but *did* make the change to battlenet (There are surprisingly many of those btw, does that make sense to anyone? Why bother when you're not playing anyway?).
People need to realize that that meant that people dealt with their user/pass information again which they hadn't done in months/years, which opens an opportunity for people to obtain it through hacked email/keyloggers gotten after playing it. It's amazing how people automatically lay blame at Blizzard for stuff like this and start yapping about how secure 'their' computer is.
Thank you!
I do not have any keyloggers on my system, so its Blizzard's fault. Again, even if someone did hack my account, it has been inactive for over a year now. So why would they ban me for gold selling if its inactive and the hacker couldn't do anything anyway? Explain that.
U didnt play ur account for 2 years, but some1 else did.
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Holy Flamin' Frost-Brand Gronk-Slayin' Vorpal Hammer o' Woundin' an' Returnin' an' Shootin'-Lightnin'-Out-Yer-Bum!! ~Planescape: Torment~
Without me knowing? I wouldn't have gotten that email if they were actually playing as they would have changed the email address.
I do not have any keyloggers on my system, so its Blizzard's fault. Again, even if someone did hack my account, it has been inactive for over a year now. So why would they ban me for gold selling if its inactive and the hacker couldn't do anything anyway? Explain that.
Obviously failed to read my post.
Massive fail.
I love how people A) feel they have any clue about the security or cleanliness of their system. Probably ran an antivirus and got no hits and that's the end of it.
Make dumb conclusions that then instantly the problem lays with Blizzard.
So Blizzard can do no wrong? No one can get into Blizzard's systems. Thats as likely as me having a keylogger. I play multiple different MMOs and have NEVER had any of my passwords stolen for anything. I have been using my email address for 6 years now from gmail and have never been hacked.
Again, I have never had any other of my MMOs account hacked or stolen (about 15 I have played in the past few years) So don't tell me that it was hacked when all of my other accounts from all my other games and MMOs have been hacked. It is Blizzard nothing more, nothing less. They did this. It is their fault.
i havent read all the posts here but ill take the opportunity to point out the risk of using them powerleveling services which are known to use your account to sell their gold to other people in the game while they are at it.
not implying that the OP has used this or other service of the like but for some reason putting an unnused banned account together with an economic abuse issue is suspicious of hacking.
I do not have any keyloggers on my system, so its Blizzard's fault. Again, even if someone did hack my account, it has been inactive for over a year now. So why would they ban me for gold selling if its inactive and the hacker couldn't do anything anyway? Explain that.
Well, I'd say you do have a keylogger, and this should have you worried enough to research it. A rez scroll from another hacked account could get them back into the game for a limited time.
Rather than speculate and make a big huge dramatic post about it, why not just contact Blizzard to find out what happened? What do people think mmorpg.com forum posters are going to say to them?
You are guessing, because you have no idea how your account got banned. We are guessing, because we have no idea and no real *full* background information regarding this account. If you want posters here to take your word for it, that you never sold your account, never gave your account info to a friend to play when you quit, never had an ex-g/f play on your account, and that your computer is fully clean and you never got keylogged, then do yourself a favor and contact Blizzard if you care so much about your account.
While to you, your account was inactive because you didn't resub to it. But the nature of hacking is someone got into your account, did something illegal, and got your account banned. Someone most likely mass gold spammed through your account or something. Either way, your account was hacked because someone found your login username/password. It's more common than you think. It really is more to your advantage to try and figure out how someone found your information, rather than be in denial.
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