Suggestions for hacked MFC Model account...

[randy_777]

Hello all. Long time reader of the forum, but seldom poster. However, I feel I need to ask this question which I tried doing searches on, but only found a thread if it happened to a member account and not model account. Simply put, a model friend mentioned that someone was able to log into her account twice. She was able to track the IP address. When she brought it up with MFC, they told her to just change her password. Of course, she is freaking out and doesn't know if she needs to make a new account or not. Obviously, her main concern is that these person who got into her account will get access to her personal information such as S.S. number and address.

Any suggestions or help would be great. Never had this happen to myself and certainly hope it will not and frustrating to see it happen to one of your regular models you see. Thanks all!

 

[CrazyCatLady]

My suggestion. Is...that I would shoot them. So...I'll leave it to the next person. She can see the IP address? Is she sure it isn't her phone?

 

[JubalCobb]

How does she know an unauthorized user was able to access her account? How is she getting their IP? Does the model interface show a logon history with IP address?
Knowing that would change my answer.

If someone is actually logging on as me, I would consider the following.
1. Am I using an incredibly stupid password, or one that is guessable for people who know my interests.
2. Am I logging into MFC using insecure WIFI. This could be "public" wifi without encryption. However any wifi that's not your own isn't really secure. (without using your own vpn). This is because MFC doesn't use SSL.
3. Is my computer free of viruses. If someone tricked me into running malware, they could be collecting my mfc password even as I change it.

 

[randy_777]

My suggestion. Is...that I would shoot them. So...I'll leave it to the next person. She can see the IP address? Is she sure it isn't her phone?

I'm sure she probably had that cross her mind...lol. I'll have to ask her about the phone. Maybe she can respond on here. I've told her how informative and great this site is for cam models and that she should register to become a verified model to get help through the Model's Only section for issues like this.

 

[randy_777]

How does she know an unauthorized user was able to access her account? How is she getting their IP? Does the model interface show a logon history with IP address?
Knowing that would change my answer.

If someone is actually logging on as me, I would consider the following.
1. Am I using an incredibly stupid password, or one that is guessable for people who know my interests.
2. Am I logging into MFC using insecure WIFI. This could be "public" wifi without encryption. However any wifi that's not your own isn't really secure. (without using your own vpn). This is because MFC doesn't use SSL.
3. Is my computer free of viruses. If someone tricked me into running malware, they could be collecting my mfc password even as I change it.

Thanks for the info there! I'll pass it along to her. Never even thought of those ideas!!

 

[AmberCutie]

How does she know an unauthorized user was able to access her account? How is she getting their IP? Does the model interface show a logon history with IP address?

This information is available via our MFC administration/profile pages. http://profiles.myfreecams.com/_/ext/model_start_page

 

[ArwenTaylor]

Hey guys! I am the model in question. I have logged on using my phone, but I know what the IP is. However, I think it was my phone that allowed them to gain access.
Here is how I knew: MFC has a "security log" that shows the IP, time, and region in which someone logged on from. I have my home IP which is a secure network, my phone logged in through my Universities network (which I wrongly believed to be secure), and another log in from my phone using 4G.
All of these log ins occur at times I remember and in my State. However, yesterday I noticed to log-ins from a different state with completely different IP's than any of mine. One of which occurred at a time that I am positive I didn't log on as I was rushing to catch my bus to get to class.
I have changed my password for my e-mail, MFC account, and social network sites. I also ran full security scans with McCaffee and Norton. Neither found anything. At his point, MFC has only told me to change my password and geo-block that state, however I have regulars who live there, another model told me that MFC won't take it seriously because I'm not a top ranked model.

I would be fine with the password changes and ready to move forward, however yesterday I received a letter saying I had signed up for a credit card. My name was wrong (Tyler instead of Taylor) and apparently they put in the last four of my social security number in wrong too.
Because of this I would like to figure out how concerned I need to be and/or I should contact someone with a bit more authority.

Thanks everyone!

 

[ArwenTaylor]

How does she know an unauthorized user was able to access her account? How is she getting their IP? Does the model interface show a logon history with IP address?
Knowing that would change my answer.

If someone is actually logging on as me, I would consider the following.
1. Am I using an incredibly stupid password, or one that is guessable for people who know my interests.
2. Am I logging into MFC using insecure WIFI. This could be "public" wifi without encryption. However any wifi that's not your own isn't really secure. (without using your own vpn). This is because MFC doesn't use SSL.
3. Is my computer free of viruses. If someone tricked me into running malware, they could be collecting my mfc password even as I change it.

Yeah I think the issue is with number 2.

 

[JubalCobb]

I take it MFC displays your SSN and home address in the model interface also? wow. :headdesk
If anything they should only display a portion for verification, and wildcard the rest.

1. What I'd probably do first, is use https://www.maxmind.com/en/geoip-demo to check the IP. I trust their geolocation database. Whatever MFC is using could be inacurate. If we're lucky, these results could allay fears.

I remember when I had google alerting to suspicious logons. Turned out I'd given my credentials to tivo so I could play youtube videos on my tv, and those logins occured via Tivo's network.

2. I'd go to annualcreditreport.com. Its a legit source for free credit reports. I'd pull them all to see if there is any unknown accounts.

3. Initiate a credit freeze. This prevents new credit from being opened. Depending on the state there could be a fee to initiate (and to thaw each time you actually need new credit). In most states (maybe all) if you have a police report for identity theft this is free. http://www.clarkhoward.com/credit-freeze-and-thaw-guide
I dont even do this, but it really is the best defense. Just a bit of a hassle. Particularly in college where you might get a new place to live and they'd need to be able to run a credit check. At least read up on credit freezes to see if its a good idea for you.

 

[AmberCutie]

I take it MFC displays your SSN and home address in the model interface also? wow. :headdesk

In order to get to that information, a person would also have to have access to the model's email account that she used to set up her MFC account. (MFC requires you to verify with an emailed code before this displays on the admin page.)

So I think this situation for Arwen is someone had access to that to begin with then used it to log on MFC.

 

[JerryBoBerry]

Here is how I knew: MFC has a "security log" that shows the IP, time, and region in which someone logged on from. I have my home IP which is a secure network, my phone logged in through my Universities network (which I wrongly believed to be secure), and another log in from my phone using 4G.
All of these log ins occur at times I remember and in my State. However, yesterday I noticed to log-ins from a different state with completely different IP's than any of mine. One of which occurred at a time that I am positive I didn't log on as I was rushing to catch my bus to get to class.

My first thought is it was someone in the tech helpdesk at the college. Except for the main manager of the department, most of the employees there are college students. When you connect to any computer, wired or wireless, on campus they have the right to track everything you do. Download some torrent movie, they know about it. They may not enforce it all the time, but they know. That's why I always used a VPN on my laptops and tablets while on campus, so they wouldn't know.

That said they would naturally have the software installed to see exactly what you were signing on to, and as pointed out, mfc is not a secured website. So they would see what info you were transferring as you signed in; username and password.

I doubt you can do anything about finding out which person did this now. Best thing you can do is change passwords on EVERY SINGLE THING you do online. Email, amazon, ebay, mfc, this site...every site you have entered a password in, change it now. And take this opportunity to get more paranoid. Install Keepass password manager, let it generate random and secure passwords for each site. A different one everywhere.

This is the important part. Go to Annualcreditreport.com and request a free credit report now. You can get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each credit reporting company. So do one now, wait one month and request another from another reporting agency. Then in a few months do the third one. They will show any loans and credit cards you have, also any credit applications you applied for. If anything suspicious shows up you don't know about you will know it there first and can report it as fraud before anything builds up.

 

[fandango]

This is awful, sorry this is happening to you, one thing I noticed and I have no idea if the Taylor/Tyler thing above was just an example but if Taylor is your real name then may want to consider changing your cam name to something totally unrelated to your actual name. Just to further distance yourself from any internet weirdos out there.

 

[SaffronBurke]

This is awful, sorry this is happening to you, one thing I noticed and I have no idea if the Taylor/Tyler thing above was just an example but if Taylor is your real name then may want to consider changing your cam name to something totally unrelated to your actual name. Just to further distance yourself from any internet weirdos out there.

That worried me, too! Your model name shouldn't be anything even remotely close to your real name.

 

[ArwenTaylor]

This is awful, sorry this is happening to you, one thing I noticed and I have no idea if the Taylor/Tyler thing above was just an example but if Taylor is your real name then may want to consider changing your cam name to something totally unrelated to your actual name. Just to further distance yourself from any internet weirdos out there.

Just an example (in real life it was a similar situation a guys version of a girls name)- not my real name but you're definitely right- not smart to use the real name.. Thank's everyone for your help!

 

[Zoomer]

At his point, MFC has only told me to change my password and geo-block that state, however I have regulars who live there, another model told me that MFC won't take it seriously because I'm not a top ranked model.

If you geo-block, add those regulars to your friends list and I believe they can still visit; worth a try.

You definitely need to work out what, precisely, has been compromised. You should also neither use unsecured wifi, or connect to hotspots without being 100% sure of the origin. Just because wifi has the name of something you think sounds legit (or don't think... as you just connect), or is something you expect to see - you should NOT trust it or connect; it is trivial to set up your own hotspot and capture data as people connect. Some even have their phones/devices to randomly connect to any available open wifi going; insanity.