Friday, June 8, 2007

Freecycle rocks, getting hijacked doesn't.

Once again, Freecycle amazes me.

Old nasty carpet, padding, and luan that we ripped off the dining room floor: All gone. Baseboard heaters from throughout the house, all gone, to replace non-functioning units or heat workshops (sold one of the thermostats, too!). Old grill that needs several parts replaced, which we're replacing with a new stainless-steel grill: Will be gone by Monday. Granddaughter's old bike with the tires that need replaced: Will be gone tomorrow. We would have had to drag all that stuff out to the curb Monday night and prayed that the trash guys took it all, but instead other people came to our house and gave it all a new loving home.

I love Freecycle. I know I've had "freecycle rocks" posts here before, but it just bears repeating.

As for being hijacked, fortunately it was the online variety, not the vehicular kind! I've no clue how it might have happened since I'm obsessive about not clicking on links within emails or things like that, but someone managed to get into my ebay account, change my name to Rhonda Wambold, change my email address, change my credit card (more than likely to match the name, which I presume was a stolen identity), set me up with a Rohnert Park, CA address and a MO phone number, and listed several expensive classic rock guitars for sale "check or money order only" which sold for a total of almost $2000.

For whatever reason the person hijacking my account didn't change my password, but I only discovered what was going on by pure accident - I haven't been on ebay forever, but a link for a cell phone battery led me to an ebay store, which led me to check My Account just because I was bored, which led me to notice that I had three things recently sold!

It took ebay security support about an hour to stop saying "we see no evidence that your account was breached" and actually check the IP addresses from my account activity history as I kept telling them to do. They had the evidence that I opened my account from Delaware, they had the evidence that all my account activity up until all my info was changed was based in Delaware, they had the evidence that I was contacting them about this from Delaware, and they had the evidence that I changed everything about me from some other location, in order to sell things very different than what I've ever sold, and accepting only check/MO when I've only ever before accepted PayPal. "Please check the IP history." Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Duh-oyyy!!

By the way, I'm intentionally listing Rhonda Wambold's name because I have every reason to believe that she was someone whose identity was stolen, and quite possibly the credit card number was stolen from her or opened as part of her identity theft. It's an unusual enough name that if someone Google's it, they might see this and contact me (just comment below, no matter how much time has passed, and include a way for me to contact you!) so that I can give her the information about this whole situation (including the last 4 numbers of the credit card the hijackers were using, and the evidence from ebay that the name and credit card was used to hijack someone else's account), in case that helps her to resolve the never-ending nightmare that comes with having your identity stolen.

9 comments:

Midwest Bicycle Company said...

I agree, Freecycle rocks. I've given away so much stuff.... It's nice knowing it's going to be used rather than just become more landfill fodder.

Anonymous said...

You were right about Googling Rhonda's name. I too have been highjacked by Rhonda Wambold or who ever is using her identity. For obvious reasons I am very reluctant to publish contact information. If you would like to discuss and can come put with a secure way to contact one another please let me know.

Leslie said...

You can email me at hijack with vmfamily and dot com at the end (hopefully this makes sense to you!). I'll add your info to the information I have already submitted to the Powers That Be.

itsme said...

This is to anonymous and georgetown house. I am so shocked at this information. I would like to get in contact with you. This is important. I am Rhonda. what is the best way? I am so not wanting to give any of my info out. I want to outright say I personally did not do whatever was done to you both. I deeply apologize. Please give me a way to contact someone to see how far this has gone.

Leslie said...

Rhonda, you can email me at this email address, which I'm typing in a way to prevent it from being automatically read: For the email address, put in hijack which is at vmfamily and followed by dot com. I will email you the full contact information for the officer who is working on this case, because a police report has been filed and is being actively investigated. I'm sure he'll be very thrilled to hear from you.

itsme said...

I just sent you an email. I hope I got the address right.

Anonymous said...

I too have been victimized by whoever is using Rhonda Wambold's identity. I sent a $1202 cashier's check to "Rhonda's" Rohnert Park, CA address after purchasing software from "her" on ebay. The sale ended Saturday, June 23. Ebay only contacted me July 4 to say the listing and my bid had been removed. Too late, thanks, ebay. At any rate, I would like to share information with you all, as I will be filing a police report too.

Leslie said...

scam victim, I hope you will email me at the email address I posted so that I can put you in contact with the officer who is already conducting an investigation.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I am about to become a victime (not anymore) thank you for your pot. However I'd like to get in touch with you regarding the oilice officer in charge so we can cath her! Thank you
my email is: avy dot halioua at free dot fr.
Hope you got it.