Sad story of hacking and sync failure

BillJ · 05-06-2019, 10:25 AM

My Charter Spectrum email account was getting hacked or at least plagerized. Someone was logging into websites, e.g. amazon, and requesting a password change. Then they succeeded in placing credit card orders on some websites.

I was having to change my amazon password almost every time I logged in even though I have 2FA.

I found changing to my gmail email address stopped the hacking on those websites including amazon. I removed my Charter Spectrum address from amazon and specified no more contact to that address. Next day I got a password change notification from amazon to that Charter Spectrum email account. But I noticed that although it was sent 12 hours after the no more email notification, the amazon account from which it was sent was in India. Perhaps just a slow update but probably not. I changed my password again but now it seems okay.

Reading my Paperwhite yesterday, getting fed up with another freebie from BookBub, I logged in to amazon and bought a mystery. But I couldn't get it onto the Paperwhite nor my Fire. I opened the Kindle app on my computer and see the new purchase but none of my earlier buys.

I suspect if I deregister my Paperwhite or my Fire I'll lose all my existing books and only have the one just purchased.

How do I fix this?

Thanks.

BillJ

Little.Egret · 05-06-2019, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillJ

My Charter Spectrum email account was getting hacked or at least plagerized. Someone was logging into websites, e.g. amazon, and requesting a password change. Then they succeeded in placing credit card orders on some websites.

I was having to change my amazon password almost every time I logged in even though I have 2FA.

I found changing to my gmail email address stopped the hacking on those websites including amazon. I removed my Charter Spectrum address from amazon and specified no more contact to that address. Next day I got a password change notification from amazon to that Charter Spectrum email account. But I noticed that although it was sent 12 hours after the no more email notification, the amazon account from which it was sent was in India. Perhaps just a slow update but probably not. I changed my password again but now it seems okay.

Reading my Paperwhite yesterday, getting fed up with another freebie from BookBub, I logged in to amazon and bought a mystery. But I couldn't get it onto the Paperwhite nor my Fire. I opened the Kindle app on my computer and see the new purchase but none of my earlier buys.

I suspect if I deregister my Paperwhite or my Fire I'll lose all my existing books and only have the one just purchased.

How do I fix this?

Thanks.

BillJ

Best guess is that you have created a new Amazon account, not altered the sign-on of the old one.

Look at your list of books (Manage contents) and list of old orders.

If you can't work out what happened, call Amazon help or get online chat.

BillJ · 05-06-2019, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little.Egret

Best guess is that you have created a new Amazon account, not altered the sign-on of the old one.

Look at your list of books (Manage contents) and list of old orders.

If you can't work out what happened, call Amazon help or get online chat.

Following your advice about looking for old orders, I see the one book under content and devices, then under orders I see 6 items in 4 orders in the last 6 months not including the e-book which isn't listed under orders.

I note that using the Google Authenticator after entering my new password, the code isn't accepted but I get onto amazon and my account anyway. The authenticator specifies the old email address.

BillJ

BillJ · 05-06-2019, 12:01 PM

Online chat with amazon right now. Lots of hard drive activity.

BillJ · 05-06-2019, 12:07 PM

10 minutes in and I've been passed off to an associate who's taking a long time reading the previous exchanges.

BillJ · 05-06-2019, 12:11 PM

15 minutes. I've to believe I'm discussing this with techs in India. This associate seems to repeat back to me, after a long wait, what I typed.

BillJ · 05-06-2019, 12:14 PM

About 20 minutes and I'm being transferred to another associate.

Deskisamess · 05-06-2019, 12:14 PM

It's a common issue for someone trying to change the email address attached to an account to accidentally open a new account instead.

Which of course just complicates the original problem the customer is having.

BillJ · 05-06-2019, 12:27 PM

Chat
Sound
Me: I found it necessary to change my default contact email. I've since purchased an ebook. I sign in using my new email. I can see only the one book. My Paperwhite and Fire cannot see the book. Under Orders I can see all orders for the past 6 months. How can I get my older ebooks to show on the amazon site and how can I get the new book onto my paperwhite without losing content?
You are now connected to Indra from Amazon.com
Indra: Hello, my name is Indra. I'm here to help you today.
Me: ?
Indra: Could you please let me know the email address and billing address of the account on which the devices are registered?
Me: Previously the email was ...@charter.net changed to ...@gmail.com. Billing address POB ..., GA.
Indra: I see that there is no account with the first email address that you've provided
Could you please confirm and check this?
Me: I"ve removed that email address from amazon. I specified no more emails to that address. Twelve hours later an amazon address in India sent me a password change notification to that banned address.
Indra: But I see that the account with the second email address is created on 2/26/19
Me: But why did changing the email address lose all my previous content?
Indra: Please give me a moment while I transfer this to the other team who could assist you with the best solution for this issue.
A Customer Service Associate will be with you in a moment.
You are now connected to Resham from Amazon.com
Resham: Hello, my name is Resham. Please give me a moment to review the previous correspondence.
Upon checking the correspondences, I see that you are concerned for your previous orders, that are not visible now
Me: That and the newest book cannot be downloaded by my Paperwhite nor my Fire.
Resham: You are facing issues with downloading this new book -
Crime Almost Pays: Starring Key West's "Bumsnoops"
Me: nd?
And?
Resham: Let me connect you to a member of the team that will best be able to help you with this. It will only take a moment.
A Customer Service Associate will be with you in a moment.
You are now connected to Namita from Amazon.com
Namita: Hello, my name is Namita. Please give me a moment to review the previous correspondence.
I'm sorry to know that you were unable to download the ebooks
Could you please restart the kindle by pressing and holding the Power button for 40 seconds ?
Once that's done, could you please check the software version of the ebook?
I can't see any kindle paperwhite registered on this account
could you please make sure that the kindle paperwhite is registered to the correct account?
Me: The kindle is restarting now with a progress bar...
Namita: Okay
may i know on which account is it registered?
Me: I have not unregistered the Paperwhite so as not to lose the content.
Namita: Okay
Me: It is not showing the version or I don't know how to access the version.
Namita: Then please try downloading the ebook on any registered device as kindle for PC
Me: The book has been downloaded on Kindle for the PC but won't download to my drive.
Kindle version 5.11.1.1 ser# g0...................
Namita: Kindle books can be downloaded only in the apps or in the kindle
Kindle books can be downloaded only in the kindle reading apps or in the kindle
Me: I want the new book on the Paperwhite and Fire.
Namita: Then you will have to register it in this account
Me: Then I'll lose my previous content.
Namita: I'm sorry we can't transfer the ebooks from one account to the another account
Me: It's the smae account with only an email change.
Namita: If the email address is different then account is also different William
Namita is typing...

I'm sorry I can;t help you in transferring it to another account as it;s not possible
Would there be anything else I may help you with today?
I don't mean to rush you, but we've been idle for 1 minute. I want to make sure our chat's still connected. If you aren't able to respond in 1 minute, this chat will close.
Me: A refund.
Namita: I'm sorry we can't issue a refund on this ebook as it was a gifted ebook and already been redeemed in this account
So we can't cancel it or refund the gift

murraypaul · 05-06-2019, 12:36 PM

If you aren't already using the Family Library feature, you could work around the problem by adding both email addresses to the same household, then each will be able to see the books that either has bought.

Sol Arkite · 05-06-2019, 06:28 PM

Copy your books on device to your computer. After you deregister and register with the new account you will be able to copy them back and use on the same device. The drm is specific to the device not the account. You won’t be able to download them from Amazon’s cloud but you will have them backed up on computer.

patrickt · 05-07-2019, 08:07 AM

Deregistering a device does nothing to your library on Amazon's servers. I do it often since I have at least four devices on my account.

Paperbackstash · 05-07-2019, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillJ

Chat
Sound
Me: I found it necessary to change my default contact email. I've since purchased an ebook. I sign in using my new email. I can see only the one book. My Paperwhite and Fire cannot see the book. Under Orders I can see all orders for the past 6 months. How can I get my older ebooks to show on the amazon site and how can I get the new book onto my paperwhite without losing content?
You are now connected to Indra from Amazon.com
Indra: Hello, my name is Indra. I'm here to help you today.
Me: ?
Indra: Could you please let me know the email address and billing address of the account on which the devices are registered?
Me: Previously the email was ...@charter.net changed to ...@gmail.com. Billing address POB ..., GA.
Indra: I see that there is no account with the first email address that you've provided
Could you please confirm and check this?
Me: I"ve removed that email address from amazon. I specified no more emails to that address. Twelve hours later an amazon address in India sent me a password change notification to that banned address.
Indra: But I see that the account with the second email address is created on 2/26/19
Me: But why did changing the email address lose all my previous content?
Indra: Please give me a moment while I transfer this to the other team who could assist you with the best solution for this issue.
A Customer Service Associate will be with you in a moment.
You are now connected to Resham from Amazon.com
Resham: Hello, my name is Resham. Please give me a moment to review the previous correspondence.
Upon checking the correspondences, I see that you are concerned for your previous orders, that are not visible now
Me: That and the newest book cannot be downloaded by my Paperwhite nor my Fire.
Resham: You are facing issues with downloading this new book -
Crime Almost Pays: Starring Key West's "Bumsnoops"
Me: nd?
And?
Resham: Let me connect you to a member of the team that will best be able to help you with this. It will only take a moment.
A Customer Service Associate will be with you in a moment.
You are now connected to Namita from Amazon.com
Namita: Hello, my name is Namita. Please give me a moment to review the previous correspondence.
I'm sorry to know that you were unable to download the ebooks
Could you please restart the kindle by pressing and holding the Power button for 40 seconds ?
Once that's done, could you please check the software version of the ebook?
I can't see any kindle paperwhite registered on this account
could you please make sure that the kindle paperwhite is registered to the correct account?
Me: The kindle is restarting now with a progress bar...
Namita: Okay
may i know on which account is it registered?
Me: I have not unregistered the Paperwhite so as not to lose the content.
Namita: Okay
Me: It is not showing the version or I don't know how to access the version.
Namita: Then please try downloading the ebook on any registered device as kindle for PC
Me: The book has been downloaded on Kindle for the PC but won't download to my drive.
Kindle version 5.11.1.1 ser# g0...................
Namita: Kindle books can be downloaded only in the apps or in the kindle
Kindle books can be downloaded only in the kindle reading apps or in the kindle
Me: I want the new book on the Paperwhite and Fire.
Namita: Then you will have to register it in this account
Me: Then I'll lose my previous content.
Namita: I'm sorry we can't transfer the ebooks from one account to the another account
Me: It's the smae account with only an email change.
Namita: If the email address is different then account is also different William
Namita is typing...

I'm sorry I can;t help you in transferring it to another account as it;s not possible
Would there be anything else I may help you with today?
I don't mean to rush you, but we've been idle for 1 minute. I want to make sure our chat's still connected. If you aren't able to respond in 1 minute, this chat will close.
Me: A refund.
Namita: I'm sorry we can't issue a refund on this ebook as it was a gifted ebook and already been redeemed in this account
So we can't cancel it or refund the gift

Good grief, that's enraging. I don't understand how changing an email address on an account makes it a different account. That doesn't make much sense.

stumped · 05-08-2019, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

Good grief, that's enraging. I don't understand how changing an email address on an account makes it a different account. That doesn't make much sense.

it doesn't, IF you do it properly, but I think that if you type in a different email account at login, one that you thought you have set up but had not, you end up in the create new account my mistake and its not obvious that has happened.

it is also easy to end up in the wrong account if you have two, when using a bookmark I did that when redeeming a voucher ( I had my buyer accoutn &a separate seller account) but in my case, A xferred the voucher credit for me when I asked.
i think there is a resident cookie, left by the last account you logged into, which is picked up on some hidden check..

Josieb1 · 05-08-2019, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

Good grief, that's enraging. I don't understand how changing an email address on an account makes it a different account. That doesn't make much sense.

It doesn’t we changed our email address.

05-06-2019, 10:25 AM	#1
BillJ Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2019 Device: Paperwhite, Fire 10	Sad story of hacking and sync failure My Charter Spectrum email account was getting hacked or at least plagerized. Someone was logging into websites, e.g. amazon, and requesting a password change. Then they succeeded in placing credit card orders on some websites. I was having to change my amazon password almost every time I logged in even though I have 2FA. I found changing to my gmail email address stopped the hacking on those websites including amazon. I removed my Charter Spectrum address from amazon and specified no more contact to that address. Next day I got a password change notification from amazon to that Charter Spectrum email account. But I noticed that although it was sent 12 hours after the no more email notification, the amazon account from which it was sent was in India. Perhaps just a slow update but probably not. I changed my password again but now it seems okay. Reading my Paperwhite yesterday, getting fed up with another freebie from BookBub, I logged in to amazon and bought a mystery. But I couldn't get it onto the Paperwhite nor my Fire. I opened the Kindle app on my computer and see the new purchase but none of my earlier buys. I suspect if I deregister my Paperwhite or my Fire I'll lose all my existing books and only have the one just purchased. How do I fix this? Thanks. BillJ

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05-06-2019, 12:01 PM	#4
BillJ Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2019 Device: Paperwhite, Fire 10	Online chat with amazon right now. Lots of hard drive activity.

05-06-2019, 12:07 PM	#5
BillJ Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2019 Device: Paperwhite, Fire 10	10 minutes in and I've been passed off to an associate who's taking a long time reading the previous exchanges.

05-06-2019, 12:11 PM	#6
BillJ Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2019 Device: Paperwhite, Fire 10	15 minutes. I've to believe I'm discussing this with techs in India. This associate seems to repeat back to me, after a long wait, what I typed.

05-06-2019, 12:14 PM	#7
BillJ Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2019 Device: Paperwhite, Fire 10	About 20 minutes and I'm being transferred to another associate.

05-06-2019, 12:14 PM	#8
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,609 Karma: 42697471 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 7+, iPad mini, 2021 iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8"	It's a common issue for someone trying to change the email address attached to an account to accidentally open a new account instead. Which of course just complicates the original problem the customer is having.

05-06-2019, 12:27 PM	#9
BillJ Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2019 Device: Paperwhite, Fire 10	Chat Sound Me: I found it necessary to change my default contact email. I've since purchased an ebook. I sign in using my new email. I can see only the one book. My Paperwhite and Fire cannot see the book. Under Orders I can see all orders for the past 6 months. How can I get my older ebooks to show on the amazon site and how can I get the new book onto my paperwhite without losing content? You are now connected to Indra from Amazon.com Indra: Hello, my name is Indra. I'm here to help you today. Me: ? Indra: Could you please let me know the email address and billing address of the account on which the devices are registered? Me: Previously the email was ...@charter.net changed to ...@gmail.com. Billing address POB ..., GA. Indra: I see that there is no account with the first email address that you've provided Could you please confirm and check this? Me: I"ve removed that email address from amazon. I specified no more emails to that address. Twelve hours later an amazon address in India sent me a password change notification to that banned address. Indra: But I see that the account with the second email address is created on 2/26/19 Me: But why did changing the email address lose all my previous content? Indra: Please give me a moment while I transfer this to the other team who could assist you with the best solution for this issue. A Customer Service Associate will be with you in a moment. You are now connected to Resham from Amazon.com Resham: Hello, my name is Resham. Please give me a moment to review the previous correspondence. Upon checking the correspondences, I see that you are concerned for your previous orders, that are not visible now Me: That and the newest book cannot be downloaded by my Paperwhite nor my Fire. Resham: You are facing issues with downloading this new book - Crime Almost Pays: Starring Key West's "Bumsnoops" Me: nd? And? Resham: Let me connect you to a member of the team that will best be able to help you with this. It will only take a moment. A Customer Service Associate will be with you in a moment. You are now connected to Namita from Amazon.com Namita: Hello, my name is Namita. Please give me a moment to review the previous correspondence. I'm sorry to know that you were unable to download the ebooks Could you please restart the kindle by pressing and holding the Power button for 40 seconds ? Once that's done, could you please check the software version of the ebook? I can't see any kindle paperwhite registered on this account could you please make sure that the kindle paperwhite is registered to the correct account? Me: The kindle is restarting now with a progress bar... Namita: Okay may i know on which account is it registered? Me: I have not unregistered the Paperwhite so as not to lose the content. Namita: Okay Me: It is not showing the version or I don't know how to access the version. Namita: Then please try downloading the ebook on any registered device as kindle for PC Me: The book has been downloaded on Kindle for the PC but won't download to my drive. Kindle version 5.11.1.1 ser# g0................... Namita: Kindle books can be downloaded only in the apps or in the kindle Kindle books can be downloaded only in the kindle reading apps or in the kindle Me: I want the new book on the Paperwhite and Fire. Namita: Then you will have to register it in this account Me: Then I'll lose my previous content. Namita: I'm sorry we can't transfer the ebooks from one account to the another account Me: It's the smae account with only an email change. Namita: If the email address is different then account is also different William Namita is typing... I'm sorry I can;t help you in transferring it to another account as it;s not possible Would there be anything else I may help you with today? I don't mean to rush you, but we've been idle for 1 minute. I want to make sure our chat's still connected. If you aren't able to respond in 1 minute, this chat will close. Me: A refund. Namita: I'm sorry we can't issue a refund on this ebook as it was a gifted ebook and already been redeemed in this account So we can't cancel it or refund the gift

05-06-2019, 12:36 PM	#10
murraypaul Interested Bystander Posts: 3,725 Karma: 19728152 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Note 4, Kobo One	If you aren't already using the Family Library feature, you could work around the problem by adding both email addresses to the same household, then each will be able to see the books that either has bought.

05-06-2019, 06:28 PM	#11
Sol Arkite Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 30302 Join Date: Oct 2015 Device: KV; PW3 ; PW2 ; k5; KT2	Copy your books on device to your computer. After you deregister and register with the new account you will be able to copy them back and use on the same device. The drm is specific to the device not the account. You won’t be able to download them from Amazon’s cloud but you will have them backed up on computer.

05-07-2019, 08:07 AM	#12
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	Deregistering a device does nothing to your library on Amazon's servers. I do it often since I have at least four devices on my account.

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