I have not played WoW for a good 6 months, and I just got an email saying that my account gat pirated and banned today.

In going thru the loops necessary to get it unbanned Blizzard is asking me for a scan of 2 ID cards:

Section E: Registered Account User's Identification

Please circle the included valid government-issued photo ID type(s):

-or- other ID type(s) required for verification

They have a huge security problem obviously, and it would be completely irresponsible on my part to give them a scan of my ID's.

I don’t plan to return to WoW but I am really worried about my credit card info.

The same thing happened to my girlfriend about 3 mounts ago.

EDIT: here is the link to the form: http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?locale=en_US&tag=bnettouform&rhtml=true

You sure it's Blizzard? Have you tried logging in to battle.net to see if your password is still good?

Yeah, you should definitely make sure it's not a scam. I get so many bullshit emails from 'Blizzard' and I haven't touched Wow in over two years.

Sure this was a legit mail from Blizzard? Looks like some kind of scam to me.. then again, maybe they are insane :P

@TooWalrus said:

You sure it's Blizzard? Have you tried logging in to battle.net to see if your password is still good?

Yes I am sure, and I have logged in my battle.net account to confirm that it’s banned.

@Elusionar said:

"The same thing happened to my girlfriend about 3 mounts ago"

Yup...

In other news, this is 99% likely to not be blizzard, ive had my account hacked, none of this stuff is even remotely required. I'd check your battle.net account, and give blizz customer support a ring.

Are you absolutely sure this is from Blizzard? Seems like someone is phishing for your personal info under the guise of Blizzard account recovery. 
 
They'll never ask for this sort of stuff in an email... hell, probably at all. You should give them a call.

Yeah, this sounds sketchy. Scans of your ID? No way that's legit.

Here is the link to the form: http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?locale=en_US&tag=bnettouform&rhtml=true

Blizzard are not going to sell your ID to the chinese. What are you afraid of? Do you think a major corporation like Activision would risk getting their asses sued by one customer? 
 
Hackers don't hack into Blizzard to get your account information. They go into YOUR computer to get it. Blizzard aren't at fault at all here. Hell, they're doing you a favor by making sure a chinese couldn't impersonate you and claim your account as his.

I'd say disregard this e-mail immediately since whoever this is, is stupid enough to believe that a person can provide a Death Certificate to prove it's them.

Stop worrying and send them a picture of your death certificate.

@Jack268: First rule of personal indentity security, send photo ID scans, address, every bit of your personal info and hell, throw in a DNA sample while you're at it to anyone who requests it. Sounds like a winning plan to me!

I'd say disregard this e-mail immediately since whoever this is, is stupid enough to believe that a person can provide a Death Certificate to prove it's them.

@Elusionar: dude be careful, i am getting emails like that send to me on a address i am not even using to on battlenet.

Just make sure you cant get into your account before send scans of anything

@Enigma777 said:

@CandleJakk said:

I'd say disregard this e-mail immediately since whoever this is, is stupid enough to believe that a person can provide a Death Certificate to prove it's them.

Wait, you don't have a Death Certificate? Wow... and I thought I was behind the times...

What!? You guys all have one? Now I'm curious as to how and when I die. Do you feel any more secure with your life knowing this information?

@Enigma777 said:

@CandleJakk said:

I'd say disregard this e-mail immediately since whoever this is, is stupid enough to believe that a person can provide a Death Certificate to prove it's them.

Wait, you don't have a Death Certificate? Wow... and I thought I was behind the times...

What!? You guys all have one? Now I'm curious as to how and when I die. Do you feel any more secure with your life knowing this information?

My Death Certificate says that I'm going to die by asphyxiation during an orgy

@Elusionar: Just call them. I had the same issue about a year ago when I had the itch to play and it turned out my account had been hacked. I called them and they asked a whole bunch of questions to confirm my identity, but it was a lot easier than the paper process. I'd say give that a try.

Yes call them. This happened to me about a month ago and they unbanned when I called.

My brother had to do this as well, I think he made it out okay..

I am calling them now.

@Jack268: First rule of personal indentity security, send photo ID scans, address, every bit of your personal info and hell, throw in a DNA sample while you're at it to anyone who requests it. Sounds like a winning plan to me!

Death Certificate?

What the fuck?

@Enigma777 said:

@CandleJakk said:

I'd say disregard this e-mail immediately since whoever this is, is stupid enough to believe that a person can provide a Death Certificate to prove it's them.

Wait, you don't have a Death Certificate? Wow... and I thought I was behind the times...

What!? You guys all have one? Now I'm curious as to how and when I die. Do you feel any more secure with your life knowing this information?

Blizzard may allow transfers of accounts for 'Exceptional Circumstances,' such as transferring the account from a parent or guardian to a child upon reaching the age of majority. If you are seeking to initiate an account transfer for an Exceptional Circumstance, please complete the section below. Note that with regards to account transfer requests,  Blizzard reserves the right to refuse any account transfer request for any reason, or for no reason.

The undersigned relinquishes all control of and rights to use the World of Warcraft account with the login name _____________________________ to the individual ______________________________.

Registered User's Signature: ______________________________________ Date: _______________

Registered User's Name, Printed: _______________________________________________________

 
I'm guessing the death certificate is there in case you want to transfer an account from the recently deceased to someone who can continue playing it. You obviously can't get a dead guy to supply his signature through legal methods, so I would imagine the death certificate is there to alleviate that problem. Or you really are a dead guy.

@Jack268: Sorry, but I try to avoid sending *anyone* the entire set of info needed to steal my identity, and then some. It's not "Blizzard", its some jackass in a mail room in California. This is simply an asinine request to reset your WoW account. Think about it for a second. Yes, your account could be worth a couple grand. Your identity is worth far, FAR more.

@Enigma777 said:

@CandleJakk said:

I'd say disregard this e-mail immediately since whoever this is, is stupid enough to believe that a person can provide a Death Certificate to prove it's them.

Wait, you don't have a Death Certificate? Wow... and I thought I was behind the times...

Fucking funniest thing I have seen all day, thanks to you both and this retarded email for making my day!

My god, if this is a legitimate Blizzard email too ahhaahahhah!

@Jack268 said:

@Renahzor said:

@Jack268: First rule of personal indentity security, send photo ID scans, address, every bit of your personal info and hell, throw in a DNA sample while you're at it to anyone who requests it. Sounds like a winning plan to me!

But this isn't "Anyone who requests it". It's Blizzard. For all we know, OP may be trying to compromise another persons account and is looking for a way to get around having to identify himself. For the record, I've sent Blizzard images of my passport twice after having my account compromised and I'm still fine. And it's most certainly not insane to request someone to identify themselves to reclaim an account that could be worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars. In fact, if I still played WoW I'd gladly accept this with the security of knowing that I can always get my account back by identifying myself.

I am not saying that Blizzard is evil and sells info to the Chinese.

But it’s possible that an unscrupulous employee could sell my personal info to make a quick buck.

Tis fake. I get these things everymonth and you wanna know the joke? I dont have a battle.net account. Its fake.

I have confirmed two things on the phone: 1> The email was legit.

2> My spoken English is garbage.

And now I am waiting.

This is a lot of work to save a game that I haven’t played in 1/2 year and that I don’t plan to reinstall in the future.

@Elusionar said:

@Jack268 said:

@Renahzor said:

@Jack268: First rule of personal indentity security, send photo ID scans, address, every bit of your personal info and hell, throw in a DNA sample while you're at it to anyone who requests it. Sounds like a winning plan to me!

But this isn't "Anyone who requests it". It's Blizzard. For all we know, OP may be trying to compromise another persons account and is looking for a way to get around having to identify himself. For the record, I've sent Blizzard images of my passport twice after having my account compromised and I'm still fine. And it's most certainly not insane to request someone to identify themselves to reclaim an account that could be worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars. In fact, if I still played WoW I'd gladly accept this with the security of knowing that I can always get my account back by identifying myself.

But it’s possible that an unscrupulous employee could sell my personal info to make a quick buck.

Who are you, John Travolta?

It's possible you could get hit by a bus tomorrow, live life on the edge.

and Blizzard aren't the ones with security issues, if people get hacked 99% of the time it's their own fault. I don't think Blizzard have been compromised at all in recent years. Use an authenticator job done, I didn't use one until recently when some motherfucker managed to reset my password, they didn't get into the account, though. But people that randomly try and get into accounts in multiple ways are definitely out there.

I've sent my ID to them numerous times for a variety of reasons over the years, the most recent was because my phone died which had an authenticator on it, the only way I could get it removed was by giving them concrete evidence that I was the account owner. It makes sense to me.

Easiest way to save yourself future headaches with any Blizzard product concerning account security. These things are cheap.

@Sooty said:

@Elusionar said:

@Jack268 said:

@Renahzor said:

@Jack268: First rule of personal indentity security, send photo ID scans, address, every bit of your personal info and hell, throw in a DNA sample while you're at it to anyone who requests it. Sounds like a winning plan to me!

But this isn't "Anyone who requests it". It's Blizzard. For all we know, OP may be trying to compromise another persons account and is looking for a way to get around having to identify himself. For the record, I've sent Blizzard images of my passport twice after having my account compromised and I'm still fine. And it's most certainly not insane to request someone to identify themselves to reclaim an account that could be worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars. In fact, if I still played WoW I'd gladly accept this with the security of knowing that I can always get my account back by identifying myself.

But it’s possible that an unscrupulous employee could sell my personal info to make a quick buck.

Who are you, John Travolta?

It's possible you could get hit by a bus tomorrow, live life on the edge.

and Blizzard aren't the ones with security issues, if people get hacked 99% of the time it's their own fault. I don't think Blizzard have been compromised at all in recent years. Use an authenticator job done, I didn't use one until recently when some motherfucker managed to reset my password, they didn't get into the account, though. But people that randomly try and get into accounts in multiple ways are definitely out there.

I've sent my ID to them numerous times for a variety of reasons over the years, the most recent was because my phone died which had an authenticator on it, the only way I could get it removed was by giving them concrete evidence that I was the account owner. It makes sense to me.

Yes I am John Travolta and they are not getting my ID!

If you fill in the form here along with your account numbers and PIN numbers we all can tell you if this form is fake.

I thought the only time Blizzard would request an ID scan was when distethering an authenticator in the event you had lost it.