Hey guys, long time ECTunnel guy here and I wanted to take a moment and write this. First let me preface it by saying I own an IT managed support company so I have a bit of working knowledge of security.
Accounts with email accounts: MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE EMAIL'S PASSWORD
This in practice seems like a perfect way to obtain an account and it truly is the best if you take the time to secure the email account.
1) Let’s talk about Proton first, Proton is one of the tons of free email accounts out there that sellers are including with the accounts they sell. Take a good look at the settings and recovery. When you log into the email account (which you NEED TO DO) go to check and make sure there is no recovery email address added, make sure there is no recovery phone number associated and check to see if there is a recovery phrase (Proton gives you twelve words in a specific order that can be reset). That recovery is how accounts are getting compromised. Go through those email accounts with a fine tooth comb and double / triple check they cannot get access to that email account back. Any thread that will let them reclaim those accounts is what you are trying to prevent.
2) Now let's dig into Gmail. Have you ever started a Gmail account? Well, when you do they request a phone number and that number is associated for password recovery. That is HUGE for gamers. You will have no idea they have associated their phone number to the account and BOOM, you lose access to the email then the account. Go into settings, add a recovery email address. Go into settings and associate your phone number as the recovery number. Almost 99% of the time it asks a reason why you are changing your phone number. Tell it your old number was compromised and is no longer owned by you (which is kinda true... you don't own that number). The email accounts are the loopholes on how people are recalling these accounts from people. Gmail has a buttload of safety features, add 2 step authentication to your phone number if you made a nervous purchase. These things will save your bacon after you pour a TON of hours into a toon and you have to fight to keep it.
Accounts without email accounts: MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE PASSWORD
Make good notes! When they give you the password make a note about what that password is. You may need a previous password when contacting EQ to get an account back. Make sure you change it to your preferred email, then verify it!!
All accounts: MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE PASSWORD
If you plan to keep the account for yourself
At the office we recommend something called “OneSafe” (we are not affiliated with them) and it works great! This app is cross platform savable (Apple to Android) via Dropbox and is great. There are many other great password apps out there you can save your data to but I encourage you not to use a spreadsheet, google sheet or other things for passwords.
I will happily chat about this in direct messages. Account security is serious to us who game a lot and I will help any of you guys with questions. If this ends up getting stickied I will continually update this post.
Accounts with email accounts: MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE EMAIL'S PASSWORD
This in practice seems like a perfect way to obtain an account and it truly is the best if you take the time to secure the email account.
1) Let’s talk about Proton first, Proton is one of the tons of free email accounts out there that sellers are including with the accounts they sell. Take a good look at the settings and recovery. When you log into the email account (which you NEED TO DO) go to check and make sure there is no recovery email address added, make sure there is no recovery phone number associated and check to see if there is a recovery phrase (Proton gives you twelve words in a specific order that can be reset). That recovery is how accounts are getting compromised. Go through those email accounts with a fine tooth comb and double / triple check they cannot get access to that email account back. Any thread that will let them reclaim those accounts is what you are trying to prevent.
2) Now let's dig into Gmail. Have you ever started a Gmail account? Well, when you do they request a phone number and that number is associated for password recovery. That is HUGE for gamers. You will have no idea they have associated their phone number to the account and BOOM, you lose access to the email then the account. Go into settings, add a recovery email address. Go into settings and associate your phone number as the recovery number. Almost 99% of the time it asks a reason why you are changing your phone number. Tell it your old number was compromised and is no longer owned by you (which is kinda true... you don't own that number). The email accounts are the loopholes on how people are recalling these accounts from people. Gmail has a buttload of safety features, add 2 step authentication to your phone number if you made a nervous purchase. These things will save your bacon after you pour a TON of hours into a toon and you have to fight to keep it.
Accounts without email accounts: MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE PASSWORD
Make good notes! When they give you the password make a note about what that password is. You may need a previous password when contacting EQ to get an account back. Make sure you change it to your preferred email, then verify it!!
All accounts: MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE PASSWORD
If you plan to keep the account for yourself
- Add your phone number!! (make a note of the digits you can see if there was a previous number)
- If they gave you the previous credit card information make sure you save it in a safe place.
- Add your credit card (or at least a prepay). If you have at least one fully verifiable credit card number you can give them then they are much more likely to return your account.
- Go into billing and look at the last 2 years of information. If they bought bags, krono, etc etc etc with whatever payment on XYZ date make a note! The more information you can tell EQ the better your odds are to not get an account removed from you.
- Make tons of notes!
- MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE PASSWORD
At the office we recommend something called “OneSafe” (we are not affiliated with them) and it works great! This app is cross platform savable (Apple to Android) via Dropbox and is great. There are many other great password apps out there you can save your data to but I encourage you not to use a spreadsheet, google sheet or other things for passwords.
I will happily chat about this in direct messages. Account security is serious to us who game a lot and I will help any of you guys with questions. If this ends up getting stickied I will continually update this post.
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