Gmail hacked - Google don't care
It is a real shame that the only time you find out that Google's Gmail service is not really secure and that they really don't care is when you or someone you know is hacked.
A few days ago my girlfriend found she could not log into her Gmail account. She tried the lost password bit and reported the account hijacked, but then hit a dead end. There was a form to complete to have the account restored to her, but she could not remember the exact month or even the year when she got the account because it was so long ago. The bottom line is that there is no support from Google at all, so the hijacker has the account now and is free to do with it as they wish.
The next big concern now is identity theft
With Google unconcerned about the plight of there customers, all her personal information is now in the hands of a thief, including her electronic bank statements and credit card bills. So she is a prime target for identity theft. Obviously I am going to advise her to contact her bank and credit card company to alert them, but what is to stop someone using her personal information to create other liabilities for her?
Any Help?
Any advice about the things she should be concerned about would be really useful, also and remedies or things she should do to protect herself right now?
Also, if anyone has any idea how to get the account back it would be really great, she is lost without her emails and address book.
I have read a number of comments that people have placed on forums about Gmail being free and therefore no support, but Google makes a lot of money from the advertising they place on the site, so although the user isn't paying directly, this is still a profit centre for Google.
Does anyone have a friend or someone that works at Google that could at least get access to the account stopped?
Any help or ideas would be most appreciated.
Regards
Chris
A few days ago my girlfriend found she could not log into her Gmail account. She tried the lost password bit and reported the account hijacked, but then hit a dead end. There was a form to complete to have the account restored to her, but she could not remember the exact month or even the year when she got the account because it was so long ago. The bottom line is that there is no support from Google at all, so the hijacker has the account now and is free to do with it as they wish.
The next big concern now is identity theft
With Google unconcerned about the plight of there customers, all her personal information is now in the hands of a thief, including her electronic bank statements and credit card bills. So she is a prime target for identity theft. Obviously I am going to advise her to contact her bank and credit card company to alert them, but what is to stop someone using her personal information to create other liabilities for her?
Any Help?
Any advice about the things she should be concerned about would be really useful, also and remedies or things she should do to protect herself right now?
Also, if anyone has any idea how to get the account back it would be really great, she is lost without her emails and address book.
I have read a number of comments that people have placed on forums about Gmail being free and therefore no support, but Google makes a lot of money from the advertising they place on the site, so although the user isn't paying directly, this is still a profit centre for Google.
Does anyone have a friend or someone that works at Google that could at least get access to the account stopped?
Any help or ideas would be most appreciated.
Regards
Chris
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