Thieves Charged 15,000 Microsoft Points to victim's live account (kotaku)

[7th lutz]

http://kotaku.com/368266/thieves-charge-15000-microsoft-points-to-victims-live-account

The story of Clinton's bad luck combined with bad judgment is a bit of a scary one. The Canadian gamer writes that he was robbed to the tune of about $25,000 when someone broke into his residence, swiping his Xbox 360, games and computer equipment, as well as the keys to his truck.

But it's the Points he's pissed about.

While his insurance covered the majority of the loss, the one thing he couldn't recover was the hundreds of dollars in Microsoft Points charged to his credit card, via the information stored on his Live account. Oddly enough, he says he was talked out of canceling his credit card (bad, bad idea) by a customer service rep at his card company, resulting in someone else enjoying the entirety of NHL 08's downloadable content.

Unfortunately for Clinton, Xbox Live customer service reps told him that "it can take up to 30 days to remove credit card information from your account, and up to 5 years for that information to be purged from Microsoft servers." Might not be a bad idea to see if you can wrest some of that control back in your direction, folks.

[crazyjackcsa]

If he reported the card stolen, it's the credit cards company's loss. Not his.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I have an expired credit card on my 360.

Since there's no option to simply "delete" it off the dashboard, I've called Microsoft to have it removed twice.

Both times they've told me that it can take up to 30 days for them to "remove" it ... the 1st time I accidentally used it as the payment option for some MS points (it still sits in the first slot on the cards listed on my account) and even though it didn't work (because the card no longer works) it suddenly became "active" in Microsoft's system (because, apparently they like having active expired cards in the system) ...

... the second time I called to have it removed, they said it would take up to 30 days and not to "accidentally" use it ... that was like 4 months ago, and even though I haven't used it to attempt to buy MS points - it's still there.

Talking to all of the out-sourced, over-seas operators that MS employs is a MASSIVE headache, so I've just decided to leave it there.

I'm guessing the thieves are going to have the same problem as long as they have that system (Though, I'm guessing Microsoft gimped or killed that Live account so they can't even get online with it anymore).

[ProgrammingAce]

I've had my card reissued several times, either because i lost it or because it was "comprimised" online. I now have 6 cards loaded into my XBL account. I don't think there *is* a method of deleting them, btw.

[TonyTheTiger]

It may be a cliché, but it begs to be said.

They put a man on the moon nearly 40 years ago and yet a company can't remove a credit card from it's computers.

It just shows how haphazard and poorly designed the web of middle management is at so many corporations.

[exit]

I'm glad things aren't this complicated on PSN, although it was a bitch to figure out where to go to change my billing information.

[DefaultGen]

.....

[PentiumMMX]

Talking to all of the out-sourced, over-seas operators that MS employs is a MASSIVE headache...

QFT. I've had to deal with them before...

[Cryomancer]

Lol, his own fault for giving his CC info to Microsoft ;) I'm never putting my CC info on my 360, baaad idea.

This. use the prepaid cards for everything. It's safer. Plus your live acocunt will only just turn to silver after you time is up, instead of HAVING to start a new account if you don't use the exact same credit card to renew every year.

[Vectorman0]

This. use the prepaid cards for everything. It's safer. Plus your live acocunt will only just turn to silver after you time is up, instead of HAVING to start a new account if you don't use the exact same credit card to renew every year.

How does that work with billing address and such?

[Cryomancer]

How does what work with it? if you use cards, there's no address involved.

[Predatorxs]

I have noticed if you sign into MS live ID, it does give you all your info including your address and card details, i never put them in there, but after i first bought MS points, then they appeared there.

So i'm thinking if you delete them out of there, It might be the way to remove the details, which for the short term would stop somebody stealing your xbox and using it to buy or use MS points using your bank or credit card.

Also the 5 year thing is not good either!