SKYPE scam warning

[ifonly]

A warning - we have been "hacked" via Skype and money has been taken out of our bank using our Paypal account which we only use for Skype credit.
It has all happened over the last 5 days - we kept receiving emails supposedly from Skype saying our "credit" order had been delivered but we hadn't requested a credit top up nor was any showing on Skype. We also noticed that our existing credit was reducing even though we had not been using Skype. I contacted our UK bank and they told me that no money had gone out of our account but we were to monitor the account and not respond to any Skype emails that had any links (which we hadn't and still have not). This has continued and it seems as if Skype were aware and sent us an email saying there was unusual activity on our account (If it was from them !!). Last night all of a sudden we had £80 in Skype credit and various emails saying we had "joined Skype manager" then been removed from "Skype manager". When i checked the bank again in the space of 10 minutes £85 and £41 had been taken using our Paypal details. On checking our Skype call history there have been 670 minutes of calls to places such as NIGERIA, SENEGAL, KENYA, AFGHANISTAN etc etc over the last 4 days. The £80 credit was going down at approx £3 per few minutes and the auto charge option was being reset to enable (we never use auto charge and always have it disabled). Our bank will reimburse the monies and have stopped all future Paypal payments (there were 6 Skype credits pending for today) but they are at a loss as to where the monies have gone and how they have managed to access our Skype account. Now i don't know if it is a genuine Skype window/programme we are using or not and am warey of providing the details Skype support say they need to investigate further the problem ??? !!!!!! We really rely on Skype to keep in touch with everyone including elderly and sick parents so this is a real blow - we have used it for 7 years with no problems but now are scared of logging on - and it is a family birthday today so we had been going to do a web cam with everyone !!!!!
Has anyone else had a similar problem and if so how did you overcome it ?

[Agobard]

We had a similar problem a couple of years ago and ended up closing the account completely and opening a new one. Skype were absolutely useless throughout the whole saga.

[Owl Lady]

Thanks for the warning.! Regards to the other half! Carole

[Steve C]

I too would suggest closing your a/c and opening a new one. I know how reliant one can get on Skype to stay in contact with family & friends. I keep my Skype top up to the minimum and avoid automatic top up.

[Dalartokat]

Not saying this is anything to do with the problem you are experiencing but this has just been announced on Sky TV


http://news.sky.com/story/1313779/russi ... data-theft

[sophie]

Thanks for the warning. I so agree with Agobard, we had a problem with Skype a couple of years back i.e. I made a mistake with Debit/Credit card number and tried to put it right so that I could install some credit on our account. Skype we totally useless, All I got was page after page of Q and A, none of which were applicable to the problem and I never did get to speak to a "person" to help. I was so close to chucking the PC through the window in frustration.

[Marions]

They have a members page where you can ask questions et.c For months several of us were complaining about these so called American military who want to be friends. Obviously it is all stolen identity, and trying to steal yours! It seems to have sotpped recently, but has just started up again. But for months and months, all they talked about were security setting,s and we all had ours up to date, but still these 'nurds' got through.

So if they cannot deal with something as simple as tracking these down and banning them and suing them, I am sure that financial matters are almost beyond them. I got to the conclusion that they don't care! I am sure that culd b e harsh, but they know how many people rely on Skype. Howeve,r now there are chances with androids to have video calls, and there is Viper and other programmes. Worth investigating if you have had enough of Skype.

[Mollie the cat]

I have just this second had a so called mail from SKYPE! Didn't open it trashed it straight away.

[Carbotec]

Please do not assume that this is all down to Skype, I had a similar thing last year and that was down to PayPal.

[Keithcaley]

It may not be relevant, but not so long ago, a lot of eBay passwords were stolen.

Paypal is part of the eBay business, and although they said at the time that no Paypal passwords were involved, it is possible that some people may have used the same password for their Paypal account as for their eBay account - bad practice, of course, but it can happen.