How long will it be?

Dryndalyn

Dryndalyn

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2007

How long will it be?

All 6 of my accounts were permanently banned with no explanation given.

Since I am absolutely positive that I have done nothing wrong, I rarely merchant and never buy gold, I want to ask others who have gotten wrongfully banned how long it was until they got there accounts back. I have written support with no response.

I have a friend who is picking up the GWs game and coming to play tomorrow! I talked up Guild Wars to her and she has left WoW to come play with me. If she likes it, then her husband will join too.

But now all my accounts are banned and what am I supposed to tell her?

Does anyone know if this can be resolved overnight? I am absolutely positive that the company will find no dirt on me. I am completely innocent and am just terrified that something will happen to my characters. I have survivors in every account! Just the other day I finally got Legendary on one.

I am extremely worried and I am a very vocal person.

I can’t help but keep talking and writing about this. It is the only way I can deal with this panicky feeling I have right now. So sorry if no one cares to listen! I have got to talk this out until everything is ok again.

DarkWasp

DarkWasp

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2005

Paradise

Agency Of Forbidden Fruits [Oot]

R/A

I'd check for keyloggers before getting your accounts back. Sounds like you got hacked a botted.

Kyrein

Kyrein

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2008

Island of Undisclosed Location

you already posted about this



stop it

I pwnd U

I pwnd U

God of Spammers

Join Date: Oct 2005

in the middle of a burning cornfield...

Scars Meadows [SMS] (Officer)

Email support, present your case and just stay persistent about it. If you did nothing wrong they will eventually unban you. And no highly doubtful it will happen over night.

Dryndalyn

Dryndalyn

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkWasp
I'd check for keyloggers before getting your accounts back. Sounds like you got hacked a botted.
OMG! What's a keylogger? I thought that the firewall and Norton security kept hackers out!

This is the worst news I ever heard. I think I will do a system scan.

Biostem

Biostem

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Oct 2007

From what I've seen posted by Gaile, they don't ban people "for no reason". Now, I'm not saying you did anything wrong, but as others pointed out, someone may have gotten a hold of your login and done something that is ban-worthy. The problem, at this point, is that while I or others here may be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, ANet is going to be more suspicious. The best thing you can do is remain persistent in your communication w/ ANet. Unfortunately, from what I've read, this can be a rather lengthy process. Sorry to hear about your ban.

Shakti

Shakti

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Sep 2006

Home...

Vier Reiter [Vier]

Generally, seems to take around ~3 days from what I've seen. IF you are innocent and IF they realize it was a mistake. Never had it happen, this is just the trend of time I've noticed, it's not overnight. Anet is a company and the majority of Support works normal business hours. Keep your emails polite and provide the info they ask for and IF you are truly clean you'll get em back. If.

Cacheelma

Cacheelma

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jun 2005

The Ascalon Union

Me/Mo

Well I hope you get it back if you're innocent.

Otherwise, "permanently" is how long you have to wait.

creelie

creelie

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2007

Alberta

Charter Vanguard [CV]

Mo/

As for your friend, the two of you can download trials and play as newbies together.

strcpy

strcpy

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2005

One of Many [ONE]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dryndalyn
OMG! What's a keylogger? I thought that the firewall and Norton security kept hackers out!

This is the worst news I ever heard. I think I will do a system scan.
A keylogger is a program that is running on your computer that records all the keys on your keyboard that you press and sends them off to someplace. They are not put there by hackers but generally by you. It may be from pirated software, some type of "free" software (say, if you found someplace that has a better version of Winamp so you downloaded it instead of the official one), from those annoying pop-ups that want you to install something and you actually installed it, and most likely for getting your GW account if you downloaded and ran any type of GW trainer or cheat that didn't come from NCSoft/Anet. These are also used to gain the password to any web page you happen to log into (say, your bank account and such) as they simply collect keystrokes.

Since it is something you would have initiated a firewall isn't going to stop it and Norton Security may or may not. Nor will a system scan always find them - about the best thing to do is look at what processes your computer is running and verify that they are all things you want (or at least know what they are) .

I would suggest doing a google search for them as you can find MUCH more detailed advice than what I can or will provide here.

Dryndalyn

Dryndalyn

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2007

I appriciate all of everyone's suggestions. Thank you.

If it is not hackers and is just an error, and everything is returned to normal if I am polite and persistant, this incident will soon be forgotten and I will go back to playing and working towards my goals again.

I hope...I hope...I hope...

Meat Axe

Meat Axe

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2007

Brisbane, Australia

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dryndalyn
OMG! What's a keylogger? I thought that the firewall and Norton security kept hackers out!

This is the worst news I ever heard. I think I will do a system scan.
A firewall is all well and good for keeping a lot of stuff out from just generally browsing the internet and the like. But once a program has gotten past that firewall, it can do anything. A keylogger is a program that installs itself on your computer (usually packaged with another file that you install, thinking is safe), and sends information about keystrokes you have typed back to whoever's keylogger it is.

If you've downloaded any third-party stuff relating to GW recently, you likely got a keylogger. This is the reason Anet and many other people strongly advise against it. If you're using a version of Internet Explorer before version 7, it's possible you got some sort of malware from a website you visited (IE 6 had a massive security flaw in that it would automatically install any ActiveX plugins from a website. People used this to add malicious code to an ActiveX plugin, and it would get installed on your computer by Internet Explorer).

Anyway, good luck getting your accounts back. It's highly unlikely that you'll get them back overnight. As someone else suggested, you could get a free trial key and try and make a new character to play with your friend. And don't worry about your other accounts. If you're truly innocent, like you say, then, as long as you are polite in your dealings with support, you'll get your accounts back in a few days.

Kyrein

Kyrein

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2008

Island of Undisclosed Location

if they decide to let someone with as little of a life as you keep playing......

Bryant Again

Bryant Again

Hall Hero

Join Date: Feb 2006

Been banned quite a few times here myself (four, to be exact.) If you did nothing wrong, then don't fret. Send in a ticket, or a few, to support and wait a bit. You should have you account at most in a day.

Onarik Amrak

Onarik Amrak

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2007

Astral Revenants

P/W

Where's the close?

Drop of Fear

Drop of Fear

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2006

W/

for sure they don't decide if u stay banned or not reading innocence declarations on guru. they have far better means. if u know there was a reason to be banned, u wont ever see those accounts back.
btw, having 6 accounts is suspicious, u used 5 to run bots overnight then transfer all the gold to the account u actualy play? that's 6x permaban worthy

if u've truly done nothing, speak with support, noone can do anything here. but again, if u know u've that something badly wrong u wont convince a.net to unban by keep saying that u haven't

good luck

masta_yoda

masta_yoda

Banned

Join Date: Feb 2007

most hated players in the [game]

R/Mo

yeh...why would u have 6 accounts...

NeonXero

NeonXero

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2007

Pennsylvania

Leaked Aggression [grr]

D/W

Quote:
Originally Posted by Meat Axe
If you're using a version of Internet Explorer before version 7, it's possible you got some sort of malware from a website you visited (IE 6 had a massive security flaw in that it would automatically install any ActiveX plugins from a website. People used this to add malicious code to an ActiveX plugin, and it would get installed on your computer by Internet Explorer).
Looks like another reason to use... oh I dunno... Firefox? haha.

If you are still using IE, I would highly recommend downloading and using Mozilla Firefox.

Good luck with the accounts :/

Cats

Cats

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

Singapore

Charter Vanguard

E/Mo

I got my account hacked late last year, posted here on Guru, same as you, while I mailed support about it. Took about 5 days to get my account back, and a whole lot of ping ponging emails to and fro from support. It's a frustrating process, and really unnerving too. Hope you get yours back soon.

Dryndalyn

Dryndalyn

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by Meat Axe
A firewall is all well and good for keeping a lot of stuff out from just generally browsing the internet and the like. But once a program has gotten past that firewall, it can do anything. A keylogger is a program that installs itself on your computer (usually packaged with another file that you install, thinking is safe), and sends information about keystrokes you have typed back to whoever's keylogger it is.

If you've downloaded any third-party stuff relating to GW recently, you likely got a keylogger. This is the reason Anet and many other people strongly advise against it. If you're using a version of Internet Explorer before version 7, it's possible you got some sort of malware from a website you visited (IE 6 had a massive security flaw in that it would automatically install any ActiveX plugins from a website. People used this to add malicious code to an ActiveX plugin, and it would get installed on your computer by Internet Explorer).

Anyway, good luck getting your accounts back. It's highly unlikely that you'll get them back overnight. As someone else suggested, you could get a free trial key and try and make a new character to play with your friend. And don't worry about your other accounts. If you're truly innocent, like you say, then, as long as you are polite in your dealings with support, you'll get your accounts back in a few days.
No, I have not downloaded third party stuff relating to Guild Wars. I didn't know about such stuff nor do I do much downloading of any kind.

Actually I don't do much of anything except work both at home and at work, housework, exercise and eat healthy food. In my spare time I play Guild Wars (and D&D on occasion). I very rarely watch TV or movies.

My Norton Internet Security scan has picked up nothing as far as hackers or viruses, so I guess I am ok in that department. Phew!

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Do you perhaps use the same forum name or password as one of your accounts?

Dryndalyn

Dryndalyn

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2007

Thank you Cats and Bryant again for the very helpful info. It gives me hope.

Dryndalyn

Dryndalyn

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Strangelove
Do you perhaps use the same forum name or password as one of your accounts?
I can't remember my forum password, but if I had does it mean trouble?

Dryndalyn

Dryndalyn

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by Drop of Fear
for sure they don't decide if u stay banned or not reading innocence declarations on guru. they have far better means. if u know there was a reason to be banned, u wont ever see those accounts back.
btw, having 6 accounts is suspicious, u used 5 to run bots overnight then transfer all the gold to the account u actualy play? that's 6x permaban worthy

if u've truly done nothing, speak with support, noone can do anything here. but again, if u know u've that something badly wrong u wont convince a.net to unban by keep saying that u haven't

good luck
To be honest, I had 6 accounts long before I even knew what a bot was. I certainly had no idea that it was suspicious. I hope that does not hurt my case. I bought these accounts because I wanted more character slots at the time and because I am a pack rat that keeps everything I find.

psycore

psycore

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

6 accounts is a lot of accounts...

RSGashapon

RSGashapon

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2006

Sol 3

R/

Maybe he bought a bunch of accounts before the days of purchasable character slots?

Kyrein

Kyrein

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2008

Island of Undisclosed Location

nobody needs that many slots

8x6=48

48 characters

48x45=2160

2160 inventory slots not counting storage

nobody needs that much space

Meat Axe

Meat Axe

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2007

Brisbane, Australia

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by NeonXero
Looks like another reason to use... oh I dunno... Firefox? haha.

If you are still using IE, I would highly recommend downloading and using Mozilla Firefox.

Good luck with the accounts :/
Yeah, I know. Firefox is superior in pretty much every way. But some people just seem to be against it for some unknown reason, so I generally just warn people about IE (although IE7 is better security-wise, but still has some flaws). My friends refuse to get Firefox, and they refuse to learn how to use tabbed browsing. Whenever I let them use my computer for the internet, I always come back to find some or all of my tabs closed. It doesn't matter how much I explain it to them, they just can't seem to get a grasp on the concept.

cosyfiep

cosyfiep

are we there yet?

Join Date: Dec 2005

in a land far far away

guild? I am supposed to have a guild?

Rt/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyrein
nobody needs that many slots

8x6=48

48 characters

48x45=2160

2160 inventory slots not counting storage

nobody needs that much space
need is irrelevant.
The OP has said they are married and spouse plays as well---so there is 2, back in the old days no slot buying---there is another 2 (one for each of the couple).
Oooops I made a mistake and have put my nf code on a new account---that could count for yet another account (and seeing as anet isnt very good about merging----or you are extremely patient with them).....

there are many ways the OP could have come up with 6 accounts. that is not the issue here.
OP good luck! (werent you the one trying to get the bmp on your account too??)

wraithe

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2008

N/Me

just out of curiosity..is it

6 accounts with each having (Prophecies, factions and Nightfall)?
cause i thought my 2 accounts(all campaigns) made me addicted lol

btw good luck if innocent getting them back.

wraithe

Jongo River

Jongo River

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2006

In the mean time, the OP could do worse than installing Spybot Search & Destroy and Windows Defender. Might catch something Norton missed.

http://www.safer-networking.org
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...e/default.mspx

~ Dan ~

Forge Runner

Join Date: Dec 2006

D/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Onarik Amrak
Where's the close?
Shortly after this..

+1

Symeon

Symeon

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2005

Your previous thread was closed, no need to post another one. Please contact ANet support and wait for a response, we can't help you any further here.

Closed.