Social Media Account kidnapping

I'm puzzled by some recent events and I wonder why they happen. I had an inactive Facebook account which had been dormant for 3 + years, then out of the blue I get emails from people wanting to talk to me. So I log in and find that some-one has been using the account as a front to undertake some gambling. I change the password and work out how to terminate the account. (Should be happening in a few weeks time.) No more messages and, hopefully, one very annoyed account kidnapper.

Why didn't he change the email address?

The other event, which is similar, was a Twitter account was almost completed using my email address. I had to change the password and complete the process. I then requested the account to be terminated.

Why use my email when the user name was his own?

Any thoughts appreciated.

SleepingDog said:

I'm puzzled by some recent events and I wonder why they happen. I had an inactive Facebook account which had been dormant for 3 + years, then out of the blue I get emails from people wanting to talk to me. So I log in and find that some-one has been using the account as a front to undertake some gambling. I change the password and work out how to terminate the account. (Should be happening in a few weeks time.) No more messages and, hopefully, one very annoyed account kidnapper.

Why didn't he change the email address?

The other event, which is similar, was a Twitter account was almost completed using my email address. I had to change the password and complete the process. I then requested the account to be terminated.

Why use my email when the user name was his own?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Click to expand...

They're using your email/account to send spam and/or viruses.

SleepingDog said:

Why didn't he change the email address?

Click to expand...

Doing that would probably send a notification to your current email address, and tip you off.

I've had similar problems with my steam account. Being accessed from computers located in Russia and South Korea. I get the notifications, with requests for authorization to allow access. I ignore them, of course. This has happened many times in the last few years. Changing the account password doesn't seem to make a difference. I've begun to believe that the notifications are fake phishing or steam account management is bugged.

Thrasher said:

I've had similar problems with my steam account. Being accessed from computers located in Russia and South Korea. I get the notifications, with requests for authorization to allow access. I ignore them, of course. This has happened many times in the last few years. Changing the account password doesn't seem to make a difference. I've begun to believe that the notifications are fake phishing or steam account management is bugged.

Click to expand...

Good point but I was careful. I went to the Facebook site independently of the email, found that they had an account with my email, told them I had forgotten my password. So I changed the password and requested that the account be deleted.

The other person had bought some gambling app to use on Facebook. He paid using Paypal (I had an email notification from Facebook about that and I checked all my relevant financial accounts). I have had no further notifications but I am keeping a close watch on the spam I get.

I also had to provide Facebook with evidence of my identity which I was nervous about but I don't like criminals pretending to be me.

On reflection it feels like he was using it only to do some gambling on the "sly" but did not want any notification going to his authorized email account. An addict?

azraelck said:

They're using your email/account to send spam and/or viruses.

Click to expand...

My email looks safe. I have changed the password. Checked for re-direction of emails for which there are none. Facebook looked like is was used just for accessing the gambling app. The Twitter account looks like registration was incomplete.

Perhaps they would of used it for the purposes you suggest if I had not taken some action.

I suppose I will never know.