Skype Account Hijacking
Ok, I'm breaking my own rule already. I had promised myself that I would not write about Skype more than once a week, because honestly I'm sick of writing it, and I'm sure a lot of people are sick of reading it. In fact, dealing with Skype in any way tends to make me sick these days. But this is important, especially for those who are still hanging on with Skype.
The original article comes from The Register, and includes details about people's Skype accounts getting hijacked, followed by charges being made to their PayPal account and/or Credit Cards. The high points are:
- You try to log in to Skype, and your password doesn't work. At this point you are basically history...
- You try to contact Skype "Support", and as always, you either get no reply at all or you get nonsense back from them.
- If you had any money on your Skype account, it is gone. If you had automatic debit associated with a PayPal account or Credit Card account, even more money is gone.
- When finally forced to comment, Skype basically said that they wished their users would be more careful. Thanks a lot, Skype.
Next comes the Skype Cheerleading Squad who say that they are going to ask Skype PR for a comment on this. WOW! I bet that has Skype management shaking in their boots! Of all the places to ask, could anyone think of a less helpful one than Skype PR?
Then comes Andy Abramson, in the VoIP Watch blog. As usual, he hits the nail squarely on the head, several times. First, how in the world can this be happening? Second, how can Skype be making such a lame reaction (or non-reaction) to it? Third, what a total mess Skype has become, and what a bizarre, twisted path it has taken to get there.
As far as I am concerned, this is only the tip of the iceberg, and anyone who is still using Skype for any paid services whatsoever deserves what they get (or don't get, as the case may be). The list of problems is long and well known; this kind of thing has been going on for a long time, and has been documented here on ZDNet UK many times by a1gjv in his blog.
Beware.
jw 3/9/2008