Urgent Advice Needed!

kittkatt · Apr 2, 2011

I received the following in an e-mail today:

Dear HSN Customer,

HSN values your trust and wants to make you aware of a recent incident. We learned from our email provider, Epsilon, that limited information about you was accessed by an unauthorized individual or individuals. This information included your name and email address and did not include any financial or other sensitive information. We felt it was important to notify you of this incident as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience and have outlined below a number of email safeguards to help ensure your privacy online.

Email scams, spam, and other attacks on email systems are on the rise, but, by taking certain precautions when receiving emails, you can continue to safely use email for your business and personal needs:

* Don't open links or attachments from people you don't know and trust.
* Don't provide personal, financial, or other sensitive information when asked to do so by email. Most reputable companies do not ask for such information by email, and, rest assured, we will not do so.
* If you receive an email appearing to come from us that does ask you for sensitive information, do not respond, click on any links, or download any attachments. Instead, please inform us immediately at the toll-free number or email address provided below.

We take your privacy very seriously and work diligently to protect your information, whether held by us or by our service providers. HSN's internal databases, which store all customer-provided data, were in no way compromised. Our email provider has taken significant steps to further protect the limited customer information held in its databases.

What should I do?

I'm freaking out now wondering just how serious this is, and if maybe whether or not any of my other personal info has been compromised.

cherryblast · Apr 2, 2011

Sounds like a scam.....don't call them.

kittkatt · Apr 2, 2011

Originally Posted by CherryBlast

Sounds like a scam.....don't call them.

That was my first reaction, but the e-mail alert seems legit, and there wasn't any links or anything to click on in the e-mail like there usually is when someone's trying to scam you. And also, why would they take the time to warn me about it if they were trying to steal anything?

cherryblast · Apr 2, 2011

scam artists will try anything....once they have you on the phone they will pump you for personal info....
Be careful.

catsallaround · Apr 2, 2011

I would call hsn up on the main number off tv/website.

When I get a call from a credit card company I always drop the call and call the nukber on my card and tell them what i did.

GoldyCat · Apr 2, 2011

Do you have a customer service number for the company? I would call to let them know about the email. Many companies have an email address where you can forward suspect emails, without opening any attachments or replying to the email.

zohdee · Apr 2, 2011

Dont reply at all. And don't call the number in the email.

Any type of email like that is called phishing. Never, ever reply to an email or phone.

I got mail from the FBI!!!

I get tons of emals from Blizzrd:
Details of Incident

assword compromised.

Consequences for Account: Account temporarily suspended.

Greetings,

Our security system detected that your account login from other place. We have determined that your account information has been compromised. To ensure the security of your account, we will be able to suspend or ban this account.

You should be verify your account. Please provide us with the following, via our weblink
https://us.battle.net/login/en/login...DD123E92C14A2F

- Name: The full name that the account was created with.
- Battle.net Account Name: The current account name (email address) you are using to login.
- Your Battle.net Secret Question and Answer.
- Activation Key:The first 6 digits of the Activation Key registered to this Battle.net account for one of the following titles: World of Warcraft, The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm.

Once we have received this information, we will be able to process your account further.

If you wish to review our current Rules and Policies for World of Warcraft and Battle.net, they can be found at:

http://www.blizzard.com/support/index/wow_policy

http://www.blizzard.com/en-gb/compan...ermsofuse.html

kittkatt · Apr 2, 2011

Originally Posted by GoldyCat

Do you have a customer service number for the company? I would call to let them know about the email. Many companies have an email address where you can forward suspect emails, without opening any attachments or replying to the email.

I just compared the phone # in the e-mail to the phone # that's on HSN's website and they're the same. I really think that the e-mail alert is genuine.

rad65 · Apr 2, 2011

Originally Posted by catsallaround

I would call hsn up on the main number off tv/website.

When I get a call from a credit card company I always drop the call and call the nukber on my card and tell them what i did.

that is some solid advice. I never respond directly to those emails or call numbers they provide.

I was receiving emails from an online gaming account I had tied to World of Warcraft, and the emails were from the same [email protected] email that all legitimate emails are from. When I emailed customer service directly, they told me those were scam emails and the people had merely figured out how to change the email address that showed up.

zohdee · Apr 2, 2011

Originally Posted by rad65

that is some solid advice. I never respond directly to those emails or call numbers they provide.

I was receiving emails from an online gaming account I had tied to World of Warcraft, and the emails were from the same [email protected] email that all legitimate emails are from. When I emailed customer service directly, they told me those were scam emails and the people had merely figured out how to change the email address that showed up.

I have received emails saying that if I have an authenticator attached to my account don't bother replying.

capt_jordi · Apr 2, 2011

I got the same type of thing from Kroger this week (I get my coupons in my email) and what happened was someone hacked into their database and got some emails. This happens from time to time with a lot of companies. What they are doing is warning you that you may get more spam. Chances are if you have a decent email spam filter you wont notice!
Basically the company is just alerting you to the problem and covering their own bums. That way you cant blame them if you open something and it turns out to be a virus. The bit in the email is basic common sense. Dont open links from people you dont know and never download attachments from people you dont know. The deal with Kroger was all over the news too.

coolcat · Apr 2, 2011

Originally Posted by GoldyCat

Do you have a customer service number for the company? I would call to let them know about the email. Many companies have an email address where you can forward suspect emails, without opening any attachments or replying to the email.

Good advice!...

natalie_ca · Apr 2, 2011

Forward the email to your internet provider's spam email notification.

I don't know what HSN is, but look up the phone number in the phone book or call directory assistance and get the number.

Call HSN and ask them if they know anything about the email you received.

DO NOT reply to the email they sent you! Sending a reply will give them your email address, IP address and a lot of information can be garnered from that.

jcat · Apr 2, 2011

Yes, it looks like the standard warning agaunst phishing scams. Just follow the advice should you get any email asking for account info, meaning don't follow any links or give any details.

Originally Posted by capt_jordi

I got the same type of thing from Kroger this week (I get my coupons in my email) and what happened was someone hacked into their database and got some emails. This happens from time to time with a lot of companies. What they are doing is warning you that you may get more spam. Chances are if you have a decent email spam filter you wont notice!
Basically the company is just alerting you to the problem and covering their own bums. That way you cant blame them if you open something and it turns out to be a virus. The bit in the email is basic common sense. Dont open links from people you dont know and never download attachments from people you dont know. The deal with Kroger was all over the news too.

carolpetunia · Apr 3, 2011

Originally Posted by catsallaround

I would call hsn up on the main number off tv/website.

When I get a call from a credit card company I always drop the call and call the nukber on my card and tell them what i did.

Very, very smart! Adopting that policy immediately!

Winchester · Apr 3, 2011

First, make sure the email is really from HSN. Now I'm not sure what email provider you're using. I'm using Outlook and here's what I do.

1. Right-click on the email.
2. Click on "Properties".
3. The "General" tab should tell you exactly where the email is coming from, whether it's really from HSN or from somebody else.
4. For more information, click the "Details" tab. That will show you the email is its original form. Click on "Message Source". The "Return Path" will also show you where the email is from. If it's not from HSN, don't even bother to open it.

You can do this with any email, whether it's already been opened, or even if it's a new email that you've not opened yet. I do it often with emails that I'm not sure about. You'd be surprised how many emails that say they're from xxxxx.hsn.com are really from a completely different email account!

You need to get into Properties with the email. Somebody like Strange Wings would likely know quite a bit more about this.

feralvr · Apr 3, 2011

Don't be scared about this. What happenned is HSN's email got hacked into. So they are just letting everyone know that your email might be available to scammers, and solicitors. You do not have to worry about this at all. This happenned to me with another fashion company on-line. Our emails are out there everywhere so we just have to take some precautions, but not to worry. Have to be careful about directly clicking on links. Just google the following:

Basic Email Safety Tips

kittkatt · Apr 3, 2011

Originally Posted by Winchester

First, make sure the email is really from HSN. Now I'm not sure what email provider you're using. I'm using Outlook and here's what I do.

1. Right-click on the email.
2. Click on "Properties".
3. The "General" tab should tell you exactly where the email is coming from, whether it's really from HSN or from somebody else.
4. For more information, click the "Details" tab. That will show you the email is its original form. Click on "Message Source". The "Return Path" will also show you where the email is from. If it's not from HSN, don't even bother to open it.

You can do this with any email, whether it's already been opened, or even if it's a new email that you've not opened yet. I do it often with emails that I'm not sure about. You'd be surprised how many emails that say they're from xxxxx.hsn.com are really from a completely different email account!

You need to get into Properties with the email. Somebody like Strange Wings would likely know quite a bit more about this.

I tried right-clicking on the e-mail like you recommended, Winchester, but I'm not getting any "properties" thing popping up.

And unfortunately, I already opened the e-mail, so it's too late to worry about that now.

FWIW, I didn't click on anything within the e-mail - nor did I respond to it.

I'm gonna contact HSN today when I get my head on straight and find out if whether or not the e-mail's legit.

Y'all have offered some valuable advice & input. I'm not completely ignorant when it comes to stuff like this, but I also learn something new every day by asking questions. I really appreciate everyone's input.

I'm wondering if maybe I should get a new e-mail address now for online shopping, just to be on the safe side.

It's a real pain in the butt to have to do that, but I guess I'd rather be inconvenienced than to take a chance of someone getting ahold of my personal info....

gailc · Apr 3, 2011

If you have been a shopper with HSN I would have thought they would have put your name in the email vs a generic greeting. I know ebay and paypal do this.

margecat · Apr 3, 2011

I think it may be legitimate. I've gotten these form my credit card companies, (in the snail mail, though) after reading in the newspaper that, for example, Mastercard had reported that customer info may have been stolen. I didn't call anyone, etc.; I just kept tabs on my c.c. statements. I don't think you need to take any action, apart from monitoring your statements/card usage for the new few months. If there's a problem, look at the customer service phone# on the back of your c.c., and call them. Have you given HSN your email addrss/have an online account? If so, it coudl be just what I said.

You'll notice that they are not trying to get you to contact them, nor solicit personal info. It most likely is really from HSN, and a mass mailing to all cardholders. If it still bothers you, again, get their phone#, and call them.

At any rate, if you did not provide any info to that email address, you should be safe. Just block the sender.

Also, was your account number stated in this email? If you really don't think it's legit, then you do have a problem--someone obtained your info. Call HSN immediately.

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