PSN accounts and all my games gone for good?

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah that's definitely a problem. So do we go via a computer to get our games on a Go?

[Zaki]

"All your account are belong to us".

[Zaki]

I love that touch.

Sorry to hear you lost your account dude ...

But that is funny.

He should legally change his name to Hank Franklinson. Would make account recovery easier.

[QualityChimp]

I have officially changed his forum name to @Hank Franklinson.

[Sketcz]

UPDATE:
I catalogued my PS3's games. I have several main folders: GAMES, PS1, and JUNK, which is where I store all my games which I either completed or never want to play again.

Not every game listed which account bought it, but roughly in my GAMES folder I had:
US - 20 games (mainly PS1, including SOTN and Trone Bonne)
JPN - 12 games (mainly PS1 stuff, like Gunner's Heaven)
HK - 4 games (three PS1, and that puzzler Trash Box)

I never bothered cataloguing JUNK. There's like 60 games total in there, though mainly UK stuff?

All the games still work, and my old PS3 still works, but I bought a new slim PS3 and wanted to redownload some. As a back up.

Luckily my US account is working again. Astoundingly, I still have $13 in it!!! O_O


HOW I FIXED IT:
I looked online and apparently if you call them, they can send you a password reset link without a security question. I called the UK help line but he said since it's an American account I need to call the USA. They open 6 am Pacific Time. 001-880-345-7669 if calling from inside the UK.

So I call, explain I tried to reset but the DOB question wouldn't work, so he sent me a new one. He asked for my name, but that was it.

Hey presto new link and new password. The US account has been saved.

The JPN and HK accounts though are gone for good. Not too fussed about HK, but I kinda wish I could redownload all my JPN PS1 games on my new PS3.

WHY THIS HAPPENED:
The guy gave two answers. Firstly if you haven't logged on in a long time, Sony suggests you change passwords. Also some long story about recently changing their privacy settings rules, so... If there are multiple accounts on the machine I need to log in online and set privacy to "view all" or something. TBH by this point I was just relieved he'd send a new reset link.

Failing that:
1. Yarr a new PS3.
2. Let it go and start playing some new games.
3. Stop playing games for a bit and write the next Beyond Aukfontein novel.
4. Write a new story about a man on the FBI Witness Protection Program who goes on the run when he logs into his PS3 account and alerts the Mob to his whereabouts.

You never fail to amuse, Mr Chimp. Anyway, PS3 stuff is new! I bought The Unfinished Swan from the US store. As for novels - haha! No way. No more books, they pay terribly.

Mod a PS3.
Download all your games from a warez site.

Haha! I like how the easiest solution to the security is just bypass the security through piracy.

I really need to check my accounts. It has been a LONG time since I ever logged into my US account

Do it! Also if you can't, just call the American hotline. They open 6 am Pacific Time.
001-880-345-7669 if calling from inside the UK. Though I suspect you probably put your real DOB in the details.

I can understand the using a fake address but why use fake names and fake dob's, did you get caught up in creating this fake American dude and wanted to go the whole hog.

I think so...? It was the first time I'd had to create these sorts of accounts, way back in 2007. Also none of my online details are correct anywhere - I regularly get birthday wishes from friends on FB, or on here, or elsewhere, but I have to tell them I just put fake DOBs on every sign up form I ever use. Have you not seen The Net with Sandra Bullock? You can't trust anyone with your real details - so I'm basically like 114 different variations of people online. When Skynet sends a T101 back for me, it'll have one helluva time trying to trace me through social media and account sign ups.

I created a set of numbered email accounts especially for my PSN accounts.

Luckily my login emails were all variants of my main email, albeit with Japan, America, HongKong tacked on. Handy!

Why wouldn't you log in for over five years too? If you were spending hundreds of £££, you'd be logging in with some regularity non?

No, I only logged on to my foreign accounts to buy something. My main UK account is logged in semi-regularly. So it never had this problem. I checked my games, and based on the purchase dates, I haven't logged on since:
USA - 2015 (bought Hotline Miami 2 because it was not on the PAL store!)
JPN - 2013 (after my Japan trip)
HK - 2009 (I only used it for a few early launch games and PS1 stuff, since it accepted UK credit cards at one point)

I love that touch.
Sorry to hear you lost your account dude ...
But that is funny.

The funny thing was when the guy on the phone asked for my full name. Anyway, the US account is back.

The Japanese and Hong Kong accounts are write offs. I'd have to call Japan and... try to explain in Japanese? Meh.

[MartyG]

So I call, explain I tried to reset but the DOB question wouldn't work, so he sent me a new one. He asked for my name, but that was it.

Hey presto new link and new password. The US account has been saved.
.

That's absolutely shocking from a security point of view - if all you have to do is ask for the security question to be reset then if you have a PSN account with anything of value in it, stop what you are doing right now and turn on two factor authentication immediately.

Given what you've said though, I wouldn't be surprised that if you asked for 2FA to be turned off they'd do it :/

[replicashooter]

Mod a PS3.

Download all your games from a warez site.

Mans talking sense. You'd be amazed at how easy it is to circumvent and PSN dl via the net

[Digfox]

That's absolutely shocking from a security point of view - if all you have to do is ask for the security question to be reset then if you have a PSN account with anything of value in it, stop what you are doing right now and turn on two factor authentication immediately.

Given what you've said though, I wouldn't be surprised that if you asked for 2FA to be turned off they'd do it :/

Yep. Still it's not like the entire network has been hacked or anything, and they have the safest form of 2FA on PSN...



Anyway [MENTION=2415]Sketcz[/MENTION] well done on the US account. As marty said definitely worth adding 2FA. Oh and make a note of the details this time.

[Sketcz]

That's absolutely shocking from a security point of view - if all you have to do is ask for the security question to be reset then if you have a PSN account with anything of value in it, stop what you are doing right now and turn on two factor authentication immediately.

Is it though? They sent the password reset to my email address, which only I know the password to. And they wouldn't change the username log-in address - all you are able to do is get them to send you a resent link, albeit without a security question attached. Seems fine to me. Even if I had your email Marty, and rang them up, they'd send you the link, you'd log in, and be like: why do I have a reset my password link?

I have made a proper note of everything this time!

[MartyG]

I thought you meant they'd reset the DOB security question allowing you to recover it that way.

"So I call, explain I tried to reset but the DOB question wouldn't work, so he sent me a new one"

You didn't explain it very well

[buster_broon]

I love that touch.

Sorry to hear you lost your account dude ...

But that is funny.

Aye the name and the address cracked me up haha

[Sketcz]

What to buy with $13 now.... Is Luftrausers any good? Was thinking either that or Blade Kitten, and something for $7. Or maybe blow the whole $13 on that HD dino hunting FPS.

[Atticus]

The Japanese and Hong Kong accounts are write offs. I'd have to call Japan and... try to explain in Japanese? Meh.

Hank wounldn't have thrown the towel in so fast ...

[Mayhem]

UPDATE:So I call, explain I tried to reset but the DOB question wouldn't work, so he sent me a new one. He asked for my name, but that was it. Hey presto new link and new password. The US account has been saved.

Please tell me you put on an American accent for this part, please...?!

[Jaz]

Mans talking sense. You'd be amazed at how easy it is to circumvent and PSN dl via the net

Not to mention you can also download all the updates and store everything on a hard drive for later.