so a few days ago i got an email from blizzard saying that my account was banned.  i have never done anything wrong in that game EVER (accept maybe cursed at a few people but who dusnt).  they said i was banned for exploiting the economy and that it was permanent.  i then realized while trying to log onto the blizzard forums to post this very question that there are characters on realms that i do play named like jjabaielab and other crazy letter combos.  so obviously i was hacked or something but blizzard has not responded to my response to the email they sent me about my banishment.  what should i do? and how to i prove that i am innocent and that my account was taken away from me unfairly?

 Considering you're telling the truth... You were most likely key logged. When you go to unsafe websites, sometimes you can download software that allows hackers/companies to take your account and use it for their own benefit, in which case it gets reported to Blizzard and the account gets banned. That's the most common reason at least.

You should contact customer service with this, either in their forums on WoW or call them directly (I don't have a phone number) and provided you're innocent, they'll get you back on track within a week's time.

call them

These bans are related to gold farming.  Did you buy gold from the strange Chinese men online?

Odds are you fell for a phishing email.

Calling them with proof it's your account (ID card is big), will get them to pay attention.  They ignore emails since nothing can be proven with them at all.

You did, most likely, get key logged by the sounds of the names like that on other servers.  Basically you need to get rid of the keyloggers/trojons/viruses you have now on your computer before you do anything.  If you are part of a family, make sure they know, and do not put in any sensitive information until it is cleared up.

Originally posted by pegleg

 

 If you think you have been hacked go to the forums link below and follow the steps. KEEP in mind Blizzard never ask for your Password.

 

** Account Compromise Info Center **

 

 

Keylogger imo.

(just kidding)

I have the same problem. I scanned my computer with 2 different malware programs and only found qa couple of adwares. I'm behind a hardware firewall, I run Mcafee at all times, I use firefox as my browser, and I never go to suspicious websites.

My wife checked the guild bank and all of the valuables are gone, not to mention some of my alts as far as she can tell by the guild list.

I don't trust Battlenet security personally.

Just because you don't know what happened doesn't mean someone else is at fault.

Clicking on a link in an 'official looking' blizzard email is the best way to get your information stolen.

Just hover over the link in the email you originally clicked on.  Then look at the information bar at the bottom of the screen.  It will most likely say something like

www.blizzard.gdysgds.com 

Look closely.

Originally posted by Daffid011

Just because you don't know what happened doesn't mean someone else is at fault.

Clicking on a link in an 'official looking' blizzard email is the best way to get your information stolen.

 

Just hover over the link in the email you originally clicked on.  Then look at the information bar at the bottom of the screen.  It will most likely say something like

www.blizzard.gdysgds.com 

 

Look closely.

I don't open un-suspicious looking email links. I always check them first. I'm not exactly new to computers and the internet and I NEVER give out sensitive information to anyone.

Don't assume I'm just another chuckle-head that clicks on everything.

 Yes, but at the same time we don't know that so we have to assume. And I have never heard of Blizzard sending out "You've Been Banned" emails. Usually you find that out when you try to logon.

No, when you do get hacked by key loggers they do send out Banned E-mails and this is because I bet you anything the guy was making all those guys on your account with random letters to spam their Gold selling website. Which is illegal to do, so therefore you got banned. This same thing happened to one of my friends somehow they got your password so you need to contact blizzard customer service and they will help you through the process. My friend got everything back and so should you because they will probably do an investigation into your account and will probably be able to tell it was hacked.

On a side note if you a really worried about this, you should buy the Blizzard authenticator its like 4.99$ it will keep this from every happening again on any blizzard game you ever play.

Same thing happened to a guildie of mine back in the day.  Turned out he was indeed hacked by gold farmers.  Luckily for him (and our guild) tho, myself and another guildie were online at the time, we realized it wasn't him who logged in cause we knew he was at work.  We sent him a quick text to confirm he was indeed at work, and then immediately kicked all of his toons from the guild (good thing too as we found out later they were all positioned by guild banks ready to clean us out - and he was an officer.)  The farmers did something and he was perm banned before he got home that night.  He called Blizzard, recited all digits of the ORIGINIAL credit card used to activate the account, and was unbanned and given his account back - and they replaced what items/gold he had lost.  This person by no means fell for a phishing scam either because he is a very good network admin, and to this day we do not know what it was that caused it. 

 It's not always something as blatent as clicking suspicious email, sometimes bad sites piggyback trojans on site images which you load.  It is very easy if you're actively looking up WoW information online, if you stray in a forum or follow a few links past a reliable site that you could easily get a keylogger...without outright doing anything but surfing or d/ling an addon.

Always use up to date anti-virus and spyware software.  Keep it up-to-date, scan new files when you d/l them, etc etc...just general techniques which should keep it from happening.  But remember, once it does happen - format and don't try the easy way out; they will get you again & blizzard doesn't allow more than a few chances.

Sucks to see this happen to folks...had it happen to guildmates several times & fixing guild banks is a pain in the arse :(

Originally posted by a7fold

they will probably do an investigation into your account and will probably be able to tell it was hacked.

This was also the case with my friend.  It is pretty easy for Blizzard to see your IP history from wherever in North America and then all of the sudden your account is logged into via someone with an IP in a totally different area of the world.