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Aztechnology

Community Resettler
Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
14,134
I recieved a notification this evening that someone had used paypal, through my Nintendo account to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of fortnite currency. I caught it within a few minute window, changed passwords, filed an anauthorized claim and detached my paypal from Nintendo. But I don't understand how this happened at all. My Paypal requires sign in and 2FA code. But they somehow bypassed it because Nintendo doesn't ask for it? Anyway, Paypal is saying since it was part of a billing agreement I set up with Nintendo they are not responsible and I must get it back from the merchant directly. Has anyone had this happen to them? Were you able to get Nintendo to refund you?
 

Windu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,617
Certain types of 2fa are not full proof. If paypal uses texts, then that might be why.
 

K' Dash

Banned
Nov 10, 2017
4,156
I never store payment methods for any of my consoles, but the thought of losing my account with all my games is scary as fuck.
 

kami_sama

Member
Oct 26, 2017
6,998
Well if you had a payment agreement set up between Nintendo and PayPal, there is no need for authentication every time you use the PayPal account. Or at least that's what happened here.
 

Slick Butter

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,500
I had this happen earlier this year. Nintendo was very quick to refund the purchases, and they hardware banned the consoles logged into my account. Super good customer service. PayPal originally was no help as expected. Then it was a bitch to get my bank to refund all the overdraft fees.

Kind of weird, there seems to be a wave of this same thing happening right now, but I got hit by it back in January.
 

Vito

One Winged Slayer - Formerly Undead Fantasy
Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,042
This is why I never use anything other than giftcards to buy on PSN/Eshop.

Hope you get this sorted OP.
 

SiG

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,485
Certain types of 2fa are not full proof. If paypal uses texts, then that might be why.
In case an account has now other 2FA options other than text, is it better to leave it on than to not have it at all?

But I agree. Using an Authenticator app is better than texting the code, which could be spoofed.
 
My guess is since it was linked to the Nintendo account, they may not have had to out in a password/could bypass the 2FA.

Call Nintendo and explain what happened and hopefully, they can iron it out. Never had anything like this happen, but all my interactions with their customer service has been on point.

And yeah: add 2FA on your Nintendo account.
 

Musubi

Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
23,611
If you setup paypal on your nintendo account its already pre-approved. No sign in or auth required.
 

uzipukki

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,722
Do you have 1 click payment enabled in PayPal? I think that might not need you to use 2FA to sign into PP from authorized apps (nintendo etc)?
 

SiG

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,485
It wasn't even an option when I setup the account I believe. Just slipped my mind.
Even Nintendo has posted about securing accounts with 2FA, especially theirs after the breach has been made public.

Though, as a precaution, I suggest reviewing ALL your current active/inactive online accounts and make sure to activate 2FA if available.
 

Jintor

Saw the truth behind the copied door
Member
Oct 25, 2017
32,392
I had this happen earlier this year. Nintendo was very quick to refund the purchases, and they hardware banned the consoles logged into my account. Super good customer service. PayPal originally was no help as expected. Then it was a bitch to get my bank to refund all the overdraft fees.

Kind of weird, there seems to be a wave of this same thing happening right now, but I got hit by it back in January.

I know Nintendo got breached maybe a week ago or so, thankfully I had added 2FA to my account.
 

Serious Sam

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,354
Also, why didn't you have 2FA on Nintendo's account? Do it asap.
I haven't had any accounts "hacked" in a decade when I upped my password security game and started using strong unique password and password manager for every important thing. It's about password security, not 2FA. Often, 2FA can be worse for security where user gets locked out from their account due to phone theft and such, and then you have to deal with a long process of identity confirmation. Sanding ID scans (which means giving up your privacy), etc.

I really wish people who just mindlessly scream "2FA 2FA 2FA" from the bottom of their lungs really think harder about all the advantages and disadvantages.
 

CONCHOBAR

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,910
I recieved a notification this evening that someone had used paypal, through my Nintendo account to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of fortnite currency. I caught it within a few minute window, changed passwords, filed an anauthorized claim and detached my paypal from Nintendo. But I don't understand how this happened at all. My Paypal requires sign in and 2FA code. But they somehow bypassed it because Nintendo doesn't ask for it? Anyway, Paypal is saying since it was part of a billing agreement I set up with Nintendo they are not responsible and I must get it back from the merchant directly. Has anyone had this happen to them? Were you able to get Nintendo to refund you?
Nintendo WILL refund it, go straight to them ASAP. They answer pretty quick if you call them (in my experience). Also make sure to sign out of all devices via the security page on the Nintendo website to make sure that person isn't still in your account.
 

Blue Hedgehog

Member
Mar 7, 2018
206
I haven't had any accounts "hacked" in a decade when I upped my password security game and started using strong unique password and password manager for every important thing. It's about password security, not 2FA. Often, 2FA can be worse for security where user gets locked out from their account due to phone theft and such, and then you have to deal with a long process of identity confirmation. Sanding ID scans (which means giving up your privacy), etc.

I really wish people who just mindlessly scream "2FA 2FA 2FA" from the bottom of their lungs really think harder about all the advantages and disadvantages.

Authenticator apps like Lastpass Authenticator and Authy let you backup the codes to the cloud so you can access them on any device
 

The Doctor

Member
Jan 17, 2018
3,339
That's it people. Detach any form of payment from your Nintendo account.

Luckily I never let the Nintendo account save my card digits.
 

Atheerios

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,097
Seems like you don't understand how 2FA or PayPal works.

You saved your PayPal account information on the Nintendo Account. It's exactly like saving your credit card on it; you can buy anything without having to logging again to PayPal.

PayPal 2FA protects your PayPal account from unauthorized logins, but there wasn't any new login to PayPal in this whole thing.

What you needed to do was set-up 2FA for Nintendo Account. And stop reusing password.

I don't see an option to use authy. I don't like using Google auth as when I've got a new phone I've lost access before. Where as authy has been perfect for me.
Google Authenticator, Authy and Microsoft Authenticator use the exact same technology. Use whatever you want.
 

thediamondage

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,235
Go to https://ec.nintendo.com/my/#/ delete any credit cards and paypal links you have and only fund your eShop via wallet codes which you buy at amazon, best buy, gamestop, etc. Do the same thing for PSN, steam, xbox, etc. Turn on 2FA on all your gaming sites as well, you can use Authy, Google authenticator, etc. Use unique passwords with LastPass, keypass, etc.

Security is multi step, OP fell into one of those niche situations where paypal 2FA only applies to paypal logins. Once you establish a link between Nintendo <> paypal it doesn't require an authentication every time, its a "trusted" link. You have to secure each layer, but as a backup just assume your account could get compromised at some point and remove any way for the hacker to access your actual payment methods.

Yes its all stupid and way too open for smart criminals to take advantage of, but thats the world we live in and you've realized a valuable lesson. Apply it everywhere online. Couple more tips

1. NEVER USE A DEBIT CARD ANYWHERE. Debit cards yank money out of your bank account immediately, thats bad. Credit cards are at least one intermediate step. My debit cards are in a safe and rarely leave it.
2. SETUP CREDIT CARD ALERTS. Every charge greater than a penny should generate an email/text, and you should be reviewing them. Also a reason why I don't go nuts with credit cards and limit how many I have.
3. TRY TO AVOID STORING CREDIT CARDS IN SITES, APPS, ETC. Sometimes its unavoidable but the fewer places you have em, the better.

You can use sites like privacy.com to generate heavily restricted virtual credit card numbers for places you aren't sure about. You should always assume any site will get hacked and the entire list of users, names, addresses, and payment methods will get drained by someone.

You can try to be one of those people who ignores these lessons and most of the time its not impossible to "unwind" bad situations but it takes a lot of time and hassle.
 

Skel1ingt0n

Member
Oct 28, 2017
8,716
Sorry this happened, OP!

This reminded me I need to set up 2FA... I'm trying it now, and I'm 100% certain the email address is correct (it shows it to me to verify), but when I ask Nintendo's site to email me a verification code, I get nothing in my inbox, spam, trash, etc. Nothing at all. It's been ten minutes now... any ideas?
 
OP
OP
Aztechnology

Aztechnology

Community Resettler
Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
14,134
Seems like you don't understand how 2FA or PayPal works.

You saved your PayPal account information on the Nintendo Account. It's exactly like saving your credit card on it; you can buy anything without having to logging again to PayPal.

PayPal 2FA protects your PayPal account from unauthorized logins, but there wasn't any new login to PayPal in this whole thing.

What you needed to do was set-up 2FA for Nintendo Account. And stop reusing password.
Most places I have my PayPal info saved. Almost always it asks me to login again for every new purchase. I get how it works. I'm saying they chose a terrible implementation.
 
Oct 27, 2017
42,700
But... that doesn't sound very secure?
Then write the codes down and store them somewhere

Most places I have my PayPal info saved. Almost always it asks me to login again for every new purchase. I get how it works. I'm saying they chose a terrible implementation.
Seems like the expected use? The entire point of linking PayPal is so you don't have to login every time. What your saying would be the equivalent of saving a card on a site and then being required to enter in your entire CC number every time to use it
 
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Atheerios

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,097
Most places I have my PayPal info saved. Almost always it asks me to login again for every new purchase. I get how it works. I'm saying they chose a terrible implementation.

It's not a terrible implementation, it's the standard one. Pretty much every service that allows you to link PayPal (PSN, Spotify, Netflix, Nintendo, Play Store) sets up a "payment agreement" with PayPal so they can charge your account at any time unless you revoke the permission. Having to logjn every time would be inconvenient.

On the other hands, when you buy things on websites, they don't use agreements, they just every single time make a PayPal authorization that requires you to log in. That's because in a PC it's easier to do this every time and usually for each purchase there's an step to choose your payment method and billing info.
 

cw_sasuke

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,342
Sucks OP but if you use the same PW for multiple accounts and don't have 2FA activated ...you are pretty much having sex without a condom.

For a second I thought you were hacked with 2FA on your Nintendo account being active. That would have been news worthy and scary.
 

Bashteee

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,193
If it's similar to other services, than you might add PayPal to your account and don't have to verify for every purchase.

I hope you have learned your lesson here, whenever payment is involved, 2FA or no buy. Use gift cards otherwise.
 

TSM

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,821
Most places I have my PayPal info saved. Almost always it asks me to login again for every new purchase. I get how it works. I'm saying they chose a terrible implementation.

Nintendo saves your info and points this out when you use paypal. You have to manually unlink it through your paypal account if you don't want it linked. While you are logged into paypal click the gear, then payments and then "manage automatic payments". It will show you any places that don't need you to log in for payment. You can then remove any you do not approve of.
 
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TeenageFBI

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,226
I haven't had any accounts "hacked" in a decade when I upped my password security game and started using strong unique password and password manager for every important thing. It's about password security, not 2FA. Often, 2FA can be worse for security where user gets locked out from their account due to phone theft and such, and then you have to deal with a long process of identity confirmation. Sanding ID scans (which means giving up your privacy), etc.

I really wish people who just mindlessly scream "2FA 2FA 2FA" from the bottom of their lungs really think harder about all the advantages and disadvantages.
A proper 2FA solution would not lock you out of accounts if you lose your phone. A proper 2FA solution is virtually impenetrable. A good password is nice to have but it won't protect you from a password dump* while 2FA will.


*Quite a few people reported in another thread that their Nintendo accounts were protected by long, unique, random passwords and they were still affected by this. It's almost certainly a breach.

edit:This thread let me know that PayPal finally supports app-based 2FA and we're no longer stuck with SMS. Thanks!
 

sensui-tomo

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,629
Fortnite currency is this gen's Fifa packs. Ever since this happened to me back during the 360 gen i've always made sure to never have a card or paypal on my account and to have 2FA just in case someone wants to use a stolen card on my account (that was a story from someone here or the old place that their account was breached, had a stolen CC used and their account banned due to fraud card use and I'm not sure they were able to get the account back)
 

SiG

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,485
I don't see an option to use authy. I don't like using Google auth as when I've got a new phone I've lost access before. Where as authy has been perfect for me.
Use Authy in place of Google Authenticator. Basically, everytime it prompts you to use Google Authenticator, use Authy instead, as it works the same way.