PSN accounts and all my games gone for good?

[Sketcz]

UPDATE:
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.


----
Not sure if this is the right forum, but I think I've just lost everything. Several hundred quid's worth.

Since buying my PS3 in 2007 I've spent hundreds and hundreds of £££ across the UK, American, Japanese, and Hong Kong stores. I used different email addresses for all of them - and I can still log into these Hotmail email accounts no problem. For the PSN accounts I used fake details for all of them - fake name, fake foreign address, fake DOB, etc. etc. etc.

Now, I haven't logged into my US, JPN, or HK accounts in about 5 years. But when I bought a new PS3 I thought I'd redownload my favourite games from those accounts. Except Sony in all its wisdom cancelled the passwords due to inactivity. All of those accounts, when trying to log-in, required that I reset my password. I can put my email addresses in, log in to those, and I can receive a reset link. But god only knows what the DOB or secret questions I used were.

Sony says if you can't recall these to contact them with proof of ID. But **** my life, I don't have ID for Hank Franklinson - he's a fake American I invented! His address isn't even real! It was 123 Fakestreet, New York, 10001, or something like that!

Now I know some will say it's my fault for putting in fake details, but frankly this is Sony's fault. I have my login address, and I have my original password - I never asked them to cancel the password. Who knew that after not logging in for 5 years, they would take it upon themselves to demand I reset it! I should not have to have given them all of my personal details, when trying to illicitly buy games from outside of my country of residence. And why am I being asked questions in the reset email?! The link should work as is.

This was always my fear for digital games. Being locked out of your library. Well my fear has come true exactly as predicted. My old PS3 still works, but if it dies, so too do the 100+ games on its HDD.

Is there some kind of workaround? If I explain the situation, do you suppose they might believe it?

[MartyG]

If you can't prove the account is yours then I wouldn't fancy your chances, otherwise anyone would be able to make up such a story and claim an account whether or not they're entitled to it.

However, that'd be me musing on the situation - the only people who could answer this for sure would be Sony support, I'd suggest your best bet is to ask them the question, given they hold all the cards.

[Sketcz]

Cheers.

I suppose the lesson learned is: only buy from GOG, because they give you DRM free files you can back-up on a spare HDD.

[Digfox]

Sorry to hear about your dilema. I do agree that ultimately digital purchases are renting at best. You never own the content.

That said I would suggest using something like KeePass (open-source, free, very secure password manager) to store the DOB and other details next to each account. Or failing that use anything to record the made up details (as long as this isn't with the account details). I know this advice is no good now, but for anyone else reading.

Personally I have never invested huge amounts into anything other than my actual 'home region' genuine gaming accounts because whilst it's probably unlikely you never know when and if Sony (or any provider) might change the rules for accessing content. And then you are screwed. Similar to how Netflix started blocking Unblock Us and other similar DNS sites so people could no longer watch content not of their own region.

[wakka]

Ah jeez, that sucks. As Mgear says, worth logging those addresses etc - but hindsight is a genius. Even then, there’s no guarantee it would work. It’s not like you can prove you live at any of the addresses you’ve used, and the Japan support is most likely only in Japanese.

Fortunately PS3 hacks exist, and should the worst come to the worst you should be able to recover all of your purchased games from the usual illegal sources. Far from ideal though.

[Brad]

Bummer. I lost an XBox Live account because the email address I signed up with is dead.

[QualityChimp]

It seems your nefarious and perfidious dissimulation has caught up with you, Sketcz!

Have you got any of the original emails saying that you've purchased the games? That might get you some more leverage.

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.

[Finsbury Girl]

Yeah I lost my old fake JPY and US PSN accounts for the same reasons ; though I even forgot the various Hotmail account passwords! LOL I was lucky I never purchased much digitally back then.

[fishbowlhead]

Yep there gone. Your going to have to give up that goose chase.

[Jaz]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but I think I've just lost everything. Several hundred quid's worth.

Since buying my PS3 in 2007 I've spent hundreds and hundreds of £££ across the UK, American, Japanese, and Hong Kong stores. I used different email addresses for all of them - and I can still log into these Hotmail email accounts no problem. For the PSN accounts I used fake details for all of them - fake name, fake foreign address, fake DOB, etc. etc. etc.

Now, I haven't logged into my US, JPN, or HK accounts in about 5 years. But when I bought a new PS3 I thought I'd redownload my favourite games from those accounts. Except Sony in all its wisdom cancelled the passwords due to inactivity. All of those accounts, when trying to log-in, required that I reset my password. I can put my email addresses in, log in to those, and I can receive a reset link. But god only knows what the DOB or secret questions I used were.

Sony says if you can't recall these to contact them with proof of ID. But **** my life, I don't have ID for Hank Franklinson - he's a fake American I invented! His address isn't even real! It was 123 Fakestreet, New York, 10001, or something like that!

Now I know some will say it's my fault for putting in fake details, but frankly this is Sony's fault. I have my login address, and I have my original password - I never asked them to cancel the password. Who knew that after not logging in for 5 years, they would take it upon themselves to demand I reset it! I should not have to have given them all of my personal details, when trying to illicitly buy games from outside of my country of residence. And why am I being asked questions in the reset email?! The link should work as is.

This was always my fear for digital games. Being locked out of your library. Well my fear has come true exactly as predicted. My old PS3 still works, but if it dies, so too do the 100+ games on its HDD.

Is there some kind of workaround? If I explain the situation, do you suppose they might believe it?

Mod a PS3.

Download all your games from a warez site.

[Dogg Thang]

I really need to check my accounts. It has been a LONG time since I ever logged into my US account and I have a load of good PSP stuff on there.

Although I'm not even sure we can access the PSP PSN stuff now...?

[Lebowski]

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.

[J0e Musashi]

I created a set of numbered email accounts especially for my PSN accounts. I used the matching Sony headquarters addresses for each region as the addresses. It's all very easy to sort out should I require a password reset.

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?

[Atticus]

Hank Franklinson - he's a fake American I invented!

I love that touch.

Sorry to hear you lost your account dude ...

But that is funny.

[Asura]

I really need to check my accounts. It has been a LONG time since I ever logged into my US account and I have a load of good PSP stuff on there.

Although I'm not even sure we can access the PSP PSN stuff now...?

You can access it, but not from a PSP. The PSP's native PSN interface was closed a while back, which I think sets a terrible precedent for Sony, when I think they're so far the only major console manufacturer to ever release a digital-content-only console.