EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a follow-up bonus guest post from SideShowBob233 thrown together after yet another run-in with a bank.
After my American Express scam a few months ago I’ve been living the dream, no account hacks and a normal, quiet, rake-free life. That rake-free life came to an abrupt end a few weeks ago when I tried to login to my main AmEx login and found the account was locked and required a password reset. No worries, this happens from time to time, usually due to external logins like AwardWallet. I reset the password and login, everything is wonderful.
I then tried to login to a different online login, which was also locked. I may not be a smart clown, but I know what love suspicious is. I sat back, ran my fingers through my thick red hair and thought about this situation and how it was like a box of chocolates (both involved something brown). Both logins recently had a new card issued (an upgrade). One login is NOT connected to AwardWallet. Both logins were fine the day before (I logged in to both).
I eventually came to the conclusion that my accounts were locked by someone trying to reset the password a few times and failing due to the two factor authentication that I’d turned on after the scam/hack a few months ago. Which leads me to the unhappy conclusion that someone has my new card numbers and used them to try to reset my password, access my account, and do the same thing they tried to do in the prior hack.
The new cards left the house one time and were used at a single store recently. Now maybe the twenty something girl behind the counter somehow got photos of the cards, but I doubt that. For one, I used several cards at this store and ONLY the two that were recently replaced had their login locked. Second, a family member who got a new card around the same time also had their login locked yesterday. And their card is still sitting in a sealed envelope not activated yet.
Again I find myself at an unhappy conclusion that the cards were likely compromised at the factory somehow. The card that was used to hack me months ago also had been recently replaced. And as I found out this week it was replaced again right before the hack – but I never received the replacement (which I didn’t know I was getting since I hadn’t requested it). Maybe it’s not the factory, maybe it’s the shipping carrier, but my rake is still pointing to the factory.
Now maybe it’s just another coincidence but too many coincidences make me think something is up. Not much we can do if I’m right but turn on two factor authentication, lock your SIMs, etc. And remember what my uncle used to say until the guys with the nets caught him – just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean someone isn’t out to get you. And also you miss 100% of the shots you take.
Stay safe out there!
– SideShowBob233
SideShowBob233’s key chain holder’s security definitely had nothing to do with the hack.