For sellers potentially HACKED

[PersonalizeStation]

If anyone has recently had the following happen (which I'm sure is the case), can you share your story and outcome? 

1. Red box stating "connection error during authentication"

2. Zero access to shop (the message on the storefront about how XYZ shop isn't selling on Etsy)

3. After attempting to login over and over, finally a message that states "welcome back *name,* you can't access your account." It then states something about suspicious activity and that nothing can happen without contacting support. 

This has happened to my friend today. At first I was thinking it was related to the authentication issue earlier. Now, I'm leaning more towards a potential, yet unsuccessful hack attempt. 

Of course my friend has contacted Etsy, but who knows when the issue will be resolved. She's been running a shop for 12 years with no issues so you can imagine the panic!

I know this craziness can happen, but I'm mainly just trying to see if these exact things have happened and what the outcome was/how long it took to get resolution. 

Thanks everyone! 

[ChillwolfArt]

@PersonalizeStation   I'm really sorry about your friend; saw your post in the other Thread when Etsy Sign In was down.
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Here is a Thread fr. Tech. Issues.  I don't know if this is similar to what your friend is experiencing.
https://community.etsy.com/t5/Technical-Issues/quot-Suspicious-Login-quot-Then-shop-disappeared/m-p/...

[PersonalizeStation]

@ChillwolfArt 

I'm working so hard to help her. She has customers sending messages left and right and she can't respond. Unfortunately, her confirmation order emails are gone (deleted on her end) so she can't reach out to them using standard email. Their emails aren't included in the emails that say "so and so sent a conversation." Total mess! 

I came across that thread and a few others. It's scary, really. 

It's almost as if she was hit with whatever was going on earlier followed directly by a closure. 

A rep asked her to verify her banking details over the phone when she did the callback option. That lead us both to believe that someone tried to access/change her information. 

If that's the case in any of these situations, it is outrageous that things are handled this way. But sadly, it's not surprising. 

: (

[Jewels2at]

several threads out there today on the "connection error during authentication"

[PersonalizeStation]

I saw those. I was trying to see if any were followed directly by a suspension. 

Nightmare, total nightmare. 

[ChillwolfArt]

@PersonalizeStation  I'm glad things worked out well for your friend. And that she is no longer suspended.  You'd better believe I'd be suspicious about answering security questions and other info  in emails and the like. Too many issues with Hacked Accounts. 

[PersonalizeStation]

@ChillwolfArt 

Well, it started with login failures like many experienced yesterday.

After that, there was a banner near login that said "suspicious activity" yata yata yata, contact us. 

She emailed and did the callback option. The rep did ask her to confirm certain things but ultimately, he had to escalate the issue (as usual).

The emails sellers are receiving are indeed from Etsy (after first contacting regular support). The issue is that once that is done, Etsy is leaving some sellers hanging after they do what they are asked to do. 

I am 100% for protecting accounts; however, some sellers are waiting endlessly. For the resellers and infringers, let it be so. For the honest sellers, it's heartbreaking! 

I'll also add that maybe yesterday's incident and sellers attempting to login due to the authentication error lead to some accounts being marked for "suspicious activity." It seems too big of a coincidence to me for me to believe they weren't linked. 

[PersonalizeStation · Accepted solution]

I found several threads about the same issue. Those sellers also received an email from Etsy (after making initial contact first), asking them to answer security questions. It seems a lot of these sellers responded to Etsy's emails but nothing was solved. 

My friend just received an email stating no suspicious activity was found, encouraged her to change her password, and her shop is back up. 

She was one of the fortunate ones....it was resolved within 24 hours. I wish this could be the case for everyone (rule-abiding folks)!