Did Trion get hacked or is this a marketing scheme?

| Thursday, December 22, 2011
I got this legitimate-appearing email regarding Rift, which says scary things backed up by their own website, among them,

We recently discovered that unauthorized intruders gained access to a Trion Worlds account database. The database in question contained information including user names, encrypted passwords, dates of birth, email addresses, billing addresses, and the first and last four digits and expiration dates of customer credit cards.


You should have continued, uninterrupted access to RIFT, and we do not anticipate any disruptions to your playing time.

Nevertheless, if you own the RIFT game, you will be granted three (3) days of complimentary RIFT game time once you update your password and security questions.

I don't own it, so nothing for me here just yet.

Additionally, once you update your account and set a new password, your account will be granted a Moneybags’ Purse, which increases your looted coin by 10%, even if you have not yet purchased RIFT.

Wait, what?

I can see giving some gift to subscribers for all their mental anguish (ma epics might possibly be gone!), but "even if you have not yet purchased RIFT"...

"Hey guys, we got hacked and your information might or might not have been compromised, but you know what? Here's some free gold if you start playing!"

Weird.

6 comments:

seanas said...

the phrase you are looking for is neither 'marketing' nor 'hacking', but 'phishing'.

good to see that RIFT has phishing problems, it must still be big enough to feture on the scammers' radars :)

seanas said...

crap, talk about famous last words ><

i've just logged in and got the same message, via the game launcher; it's posted on the forums and there's a link on the accuont notification page :(

so yes, hacked, but arguing not compromised...

Stabs said...

Reply to them and tell them Username xxxx password ty79 - something - something - something.

Should keep some gold farmer gainlessly employed for an afternoon trying different combinations :)

Ahtchu said...

Betas. I never bought the game but participated in betas. Hence, my info is in the system somewhere, and yes I got the email.
They've listed items taken, but said list is very well not all inclusive for everyone on the list.
It's commonplace to offer services to offset troubles. Granted, it appears they're laying the services on thick, but nothing to be alarmed about. It's very likely they've been hacked (everyone is getting hacked, even those f2p guys), but if they haven't, meh. They're trying to make the most of a situation, fabricated or not, but nothing unlike any other player out there.

Sven said...

Looks like it's a genuine hack, with limited (known) consequences. At least they're being up-front about it.

Looks like PayPal is a payment option, so I think I'll delete my credit card details and use that if I re-subscribe. From what I've seen from others playing, quite a bit of content seems to have been added since I un-subbed, so it may be worth a re-visit.

Gladly said...

Oddly enough i just bought and installed Rift the day before this email went out, so i was happy to get the little trinket and game time. Also they talked me into a mobile authenticator (cuz I get nervous bout this kind of thing) which came with a nifty "the Ironbound" title for my character. Seems they give away titles for everything in this game. Even crafting: Lysso, Novice Butcher

It's fun, but it's no WoW.

Post a Comment

Comments in posts older than 21 days will be moderated to prevent spam. Comments in posts younger than 21 days will be checked for ID.

Powered by Blogger.