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“They wanted my Instagram handle, and somehow they've now got it.”

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Re: “They wanted my Instagram handle, and somehow they've now got it.”

#71

Post by TSUTiger »

jeffbee wrote: post #23

I have a very short instagram handle that I've never used. People are constantly trying to take it over. I get the email "we've made it easy to get back on Instagram" sometimes hundreds of times per hour . I don't think they have any kind of rate limiting or account abuse protections. It's also true that you can disable Instagram 2FA without 2FA via various Facebook apps, which is ridiculous.

Honest question out of curiosity: why still hold onto it? why not sell it if it means nothing enough for you to use it?

I know for me personally, if I was getting hounded by emails, I'd definitely look into getting rid of it somehow.

Re: “They wanted my Instagram handle, and somehow they've now got it.”

#72

Post by LightHugger »

Legogris wrote: post #50

Meanwhile, I got locked out of the old FB account, with a passport scan being the only way they're going to open it again. Strong password, 2FA, email, registered pgp key, and I still have access to everything, yet they still need to "verify", which makes no sense given they (supposedly) don't have any ID of mine from before. Contrasting that to OP and yeah, an insider sounds like the more likely thing.

the term "verify" in this situations has started to mean "we are extorting you for your personal information by holding your account hostage".

It's most often a phone number, and as you point out, way worse on facebook where they demand government identification.

Please stop using facebook, people.

Re: “They wanted my Instagram handle, and somehow they've now got it.”

#73

Post by Zurrrrr »

0xffff2 wrote: post #63
cypherpunks01 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are hundreds of data brokers selling this type of info. An attacker who has a few minutes and a few dollars to spare will be able to acquire the average person's phone number. The underlying sources vary a lot. Look up your own name or your friends on a site that is owned by or uses Intelius data, e.g. https://www.addresses.com/ - For many people (not all), their phone numbers come up right away. There are prob…

Maybe I just have better data hygiene than average, but I found that site to be absolutely hilarious. I was able to find myself, but my address was several years and several moves out of date. My phone number was decades out of date and not even really my phone number. (It was a landline phone at my mom's house, with an old pre-area code split area code.)

Now try familytreenow.com for free or spokeo.com if you want to waste a dollar on a trial.

Pretty sure they won't be wrong or out of date.

Re: “They wanted my Instagram handle, and somehow they've now got it.”

#74

Post by AtlasBarfed »

Justsignedup wrote: post #24

This is the #1 problem with google/facebook/other giant companies - zero due process. They build a business around minimal human interaction with our staff and it shows when real problems come up. I'm frankly sick of hacker news being a facebook/google/whatever ticketing system. And yet, there's no alternative.

I almost guarantee they have an inside man that they pay off to do this for them.

I mean, they are crypto bros. They can crypto pay someone under the table.

There's no transparency or even a support system. If the person gets caught, 99% chance facebook just lets them go. Their internal ticketing/debugging/support systems are very likely outsourced or low-pay workers or foreigners, and it won't be worth it to the company to sue them. Then people will know it happens.

Re: “They wanted my Instagram handle, and somehow they've now got it.”

#75

Post by jeffbee »

TSUTiger wrote: post #71
jeffbee wrote: post #23

I have a very short instagram handle that I've never used. People are constantly trying to take it over. I get the email "we've made it easy to get back on Instagram" sometimes hundreds of times per hour . I don't think they have any kind of rate limiting or account abuse protections. It's also true that you can disable Instagram 2FA without 2FA via various Facebook apps, which is ridiculous.

Honest question out of curiosity: why still hold onto it? why not sell it if it means nothing enough for you to use it? I know for me personally, if I was getting hounded by emails, I'd definitely look into getting rid of it somehow.

How do you get rid of them? Nobody has offered to buy it. They are just always trying to steal it.

Re: “They wanted my Instagram handle, and somehow they've now got it.”

#76

Post by [deleted] »

Zurrrrr wrote: post #73
0xffff2 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I just have better data hygiene than average, but I found that site to be absolutely hilarious. I was able to find myself, but my address was several years and several moves out of date. My phone number was decades out of date and not even really my phone number. (It was a landline phone at my mom's house, with an old pre-area code split area code.)

Now try familytreenow.com for free or spokeo.com if you want to waste a dollar on a trial. Pretty sure they won't be wrong or out of date.

[deleted]

Re: “They wanted my Instagram handle, and somehow they've now got it.”

#78

Post by 0xffff2 »

Zurrrrr wrote: post #73
0xffff2 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I just have better data hygiene than average, but I found that site to be absolutely hilarious. I was able to find myself, but my address was several years and several moves out of date. My phone number was decades out of date and not even really my phone number. (It was a landline phone at my mom's house, with an old pre-area code split area code.)

Now try familytreenow.com for free or spokeo.com if you want to waste a dollar on a trial. Pretty sure they won't be wrong or out of date.

The first one is indeed much closer for me. Still doesn't have my current phone number and while the broad strokes are there the dates are wildly inaccurate. Looking at my immediate family though, I actually seem to have the worst hygiene! It's 0/5 in providing an accurate phone number for any of us.

Re: “They wanted my Instagram handle, and somehow they've now got it.”

#80

Post by amethyst »

TrackerFF wrote: post #66

IMO, companies should have draconian rules for this kind of corrupt shit - if that's the case. Fired on the spot. Clawbacks. etc.

Termination on the spot has literally been the standard policy for data violations like this at Meta for at least a decade.
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