Shoutbox

Hi all,

My MSN account was hacked in and I am now locked out of it
as they have changed the secret answer too, i cannot get back into it.

I've created a new one now however, I have a PLD file from the old account from Messenger Plus.  As each and everyname was a custom name on MSN, I would like to see if I can extract the users from the PLD file so that I can re-add everyone in.

Dragging the file into notepad brings up the "junk" including the custom names that were set but its not clear and very garbled.

If there is an easy way of seeing the names in the export of Messenger Plus, then I can always go through my backups finding the email address that is attached to that name.

Thanks

quote:

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Originally posted by akash84
I have a PLD file from the old account from Messenger Plus.  As each and everyname was a custom name on MSN, I would like to see if I can extract the users from the PLD file so that I can re-add everyone in.

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Simply import the preferences file like you have exported it before. Preference files are not user specific.

If you import the preference file, all your settings will be restored, including custom names you might have set.

Thus go to Plus! > Preferences > Load/Save > Import preferences
(button on the bottom left side of the preferences window)

quote:

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Originally posted by akash84
Dragging the file into notepad brings up the "junk" including the custom names that were set but its not clear and very garbled.

---

because the preferences file is not a simple text file. Compare it to a Word document, you can't open that in notepad and expect to see plain text either as it contains a lot more than just text.


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quote:

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Originally posted by akash84
My MSN account was hacked in and I am now locked out of it as they have changed the secret answer too, i cannot get back into it. I've created a new one now

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Creating a new msn account should only be the very last option as it is not only a major pain in the behind for you, but also for all your contacts.

Don't forget you can contact Microsoft to request to reset your account so that you can have your account back. This requires you to give some details to proof that you are the true owner of that account.

Such details can consist of:
- the emails of people which are on your contactlist
- the time/date your account was hacked
- your previous password and secret question
- the data which is in your profile (age, address, occupation, etc)
- emails which are in your hotmail account
- etc...
in short everything you can remember.

also see "stolen hotmail account"
dunno if the given links still work, can't test at the moment; but you get the general idea. If links don't work go to:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/contact.mspx and select appropiate link.

Thank you for the excellent and informative reply.

Starting from the top, I have imported already however the main reason was that as every user in my account had a custom name, I could use the names to find out who was on my list initially.

At the moment, I've only added those who I can remember (work and family)
Importing the file in will update only those who are added but not the ones who are not added (makes perfect sense).
So those missing would be in that pld file as custom names.

I hope this makes sense.

MS Word is even worse lol!  Just sqaures.

The problem with getting my old account back is that its a free one and not a paid one.
I used the forgot password feature however, they changed this too. 

A few of the other sites they changed were registered to cheese as the password but this did not work for hotmail.

I did contact MS about the issue but I've had no feedback at all.

Such details can consist of:
- the emails of people which are on your contactlist
- the time/date your account was hacked
- your previous password and secret question
- the data which is in your profile (age, address, occupation, etc)
- emails which are in your hotmail account
- etc...

I would be fine with only some of this.  What if the emails have been deleted?
time/date no problems as MsgPlus shows the time I was logged out.
previous pass should be fine, secret Q I would need to be reminded of the question itself so I could answer.
Data, should be fine too.

So it is possible, its just who to contact etc.
I will have al ook at the link you provided and update this.

Thank you again!

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OK just tried the sites.
The first one was the usual password reset tool which does not work as the question has been changed.

the second link has no info on how to contact them.

So still no luck getting it back.

quote:

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Originally posted by akash84
The problem with getting my old account back is that its a free one and not a paid one.

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That isn't a problem as far as Microsoft is concearned. Paid or not, it makes no difference...

quote:

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Originally posted by akash84
I did contact MS about the issue but I've had no feedback at all.

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try again on the appropiate links.

quote:

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Originally posted by akash84
OK just tried the sites.
The first one was the usual password reset tool which does not work as the question has been changed.

the second link has no info on how to contact them.

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The links given in that old thread indeed don't work anymore, but are you sure you read the alternative link I provided in the previous post properly? There are links on there to
1) contact them
2) file abuse like hacking and what not


EDIT:

I used that very same link, went to the appropiate sublinks and came to the following pages:

http://support.passport.net/eform.aspx?productKey=passporteasi

fill in the form below and choose the following type of problem in the dropdown boxes:
> I need to know how to do something
  > Report a security issue
    > My account has been taken over

or

http://support.msn.com/eform.aspx?productKey=hotmail

fill in the form below and choose the following type of problem in the dropdown boxes:
> I need something fixed
  > My account
    > My account has been taken over

quote:

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Originally posted by akash84

quote:

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Such details can consist of:
- the emails of people which are on your contactlist
- the time/date your account was hacked
- your previous password and secret question
- the data which is in your profile (age, address, occupation, etc)
- emails which are in your hotmail account
- etc...

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I would be fine with only some of this.  What if the emails have been deleted?

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Doesn't matter, Microsoft can and may track things down like this in such situations, and if not at least you show that you can give detailed information, aka: you proof that it is your account.

Thank you once again, both filled in.
I did get a response earlier but I did not see the report a security issue/account has been taken over and so I chose the forgot password

as you can imagine, the reply (automated no doubt) was useless.

Lets see how it goes now!

Thanks again