MSN Messenger "privacy breach"?

[licketykitten]

Gosh, i hope i've picked the right forum to ask this. If not please move it to where it better "belongs"....

Here's my question.

I use MSN Messenger. I have a contact on there... that... i really wish wasn't on there after all (you know how that goes ::) ). Recently this individual informed me that he was able to "see" when i was online, even though i had him "blocked". I thought the "block" feature rendered me invisible... but he states that, although i can't do the same myself on my PC.. he can accomplish this prying-eyes feat on his Mac.

Is he... bluffing...? Or... does anyone know how he is able to do this (well actually i don't care how he can do it... just how can i stop him from doing it.. without actually changing my MSN account!). I've contemplated just "deleting" him from my contact list... but... having used ICQ extensively i know that "deleting a contact" only cleans up *my* contact list.. and i'm not certain whether MSN Messenger is any different in this respect...

Any thoughts? Advice? I really need this person GONE.... :-\

Thanks...

[eyespy]

Hi licketykitten,
I don't think you can delete your name from your "friend's" contact list !
My advice to you is close that account and open up a new HotMail/MSN Messenger account using a different name/ E-mail addy. Don't forget to save your "favored" contacts to a file !!

regards,
bill ;)

[notageek]

Hi licketykitten, I had that happen to me once and found it was a glitch in msn messenger that minute of the day cuz it don't happen to me now. But theres a good chance that he/she's bluffing unless they PM'd you while they was blocked. To see if it's really true have a friend that haves a Mac try to see if you're online when you have them blocked. If they don't see you block then the other person was bluffing.

[snapdragin]

hey there licketykitten!

i know you don't really want to open a new MSN acc't, so i was thinking maybe something like another program to use to access MSN might do the trick? Prince_Serendip started a thread about a new program similar to Trillian, called Easy Messaging Express:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=3929

i haven't had a chance to try this program myself yet, so i can't tell you if it would make the "block" feature in MSN actually BLOCK the person....maybe Prince can add a comment or two about it since he's already tried it?

i know there are a few programs out there that can get through the block feature on ICQ, (not sure if those also work with MSN)....but if this person is using any of those programs...then i'd take bill's advise and completely change your MSN's account and remove that person completely.

snap

[Checkout]

Complain to MSN and get the creep removed. Record all intrusions from now on, for evidence - that way you'll not only remove the nuisance but help others too.

Good luck.

[Pieter_Arntz]

He's not necessarily bluffing, maybe you can find the program he does it with here: http://www.mess.be/pafiledb/pafiledb.php?action=category&id=3 along with the "antidote"

Regards,

Pieter

[Prince_Serendip]

:) Hi licketykitten!

Using Easy Message you can access your account remotely, appearing to be offline when you are really online. To do it you open conversation with another person via their MSN account using Easy Message. You do not appear as online on your MSN. I've done this with ICQ and it works. Your friend will still appear to be online but you are cloaked!

It's one way of doing it, if you want. I got EM because my firewall won't allow my ICQ anymore (tried everything short of uninstall). Now I can at least use my accounts. Best of luck!

[Detox]

Hmm, I use ICQ and I can go invisible and not be detected... ICQ doesn't connect itself without permission and I've never had any security troubles with it like some speak of, I do use Bitdefender for ICQ.

[licketykitten]

urrgghhh Checkout i tried your suggestion of complaining to Microsoft. I wrote a letter explaining that this person had been able to demonstrate an ability to "see" my online status despite being blocked... and i got back a nice canned response telling me that i should just block the person and would thus be rendered invisible. DUH. I'd asked if they could manually delete me from another person's list.. they say "no due to privacy and security". DOH. And apparently "due to the program design of msn", you can only permanently delete contacts based on mutual agreement with a contact to do so... yeah right... "excuse me mister annoying stalker, if i delete you will you please delete me".. "sure thing honey, you go first". yeahhhhh. ~rollseyes~

Pieter i looked at that site and didn't have any luck finding a "defense" or "antidote" for my problem. Hmmmm it was eye-opening to see, though... the variety of hacks and tricks out there... yikes...

SooooooOOooooo i'm going with the eyespy reply... new msn# for me. Thanks Snap and Prince for the suggestion of trillium and/or easy message... i'll check 'em out... maybe not to help with this particular incident.. but they look handy for managing multiple chat programs...

Thanks y'all..

[eyespy]

Hi licketykitten,
After a period of time with an MSN Hotmail addy, it tends to draw Spam and have problems such as the one your having right now. Don't know why. But sometimes it's just easier to open a new MSN account, which in turn allows you to get a new MSN Messenger profile and Addy.
IMHO !

gud luck and regards,
bill ;)

[notageek]

-{ Quote: " quoting: Pieter_Arntz link=board=21;threadid=4023;start=0#26804 date=1033976500]
He's not necessarily bluffing, maybe you can find the program he does it with here: http://www.mess.be/pafiledb/pafiledb.php?action=category&id=3 along with the "antidote"

Regards,

Pieter
" }-

Pieter, thanks for the heads up with that link. Now time for someone to write a program that stops other anti block programs. lol

licketykitten, good luck.

[thavidu]

this thread may be a little old but.. the dude isnt bluffing, on macs, cos they use a much older version of messenger, it actually says 'the contact has blocked you'. my friend has an old one that does it.

[Bassboy]

Maybe this guy is using a blockchecker.
Make sure you have cheked the box "Only persons in my accepted list can see my on-line state and can send messages" on the privacy tab in de options menu, which you can find under the tools tab.

[clo]

Hi lickety kitten!
This boy might know that you have blocked him because my friend was telling me the other day that someone blocked her and she knew that they had blocked her because it came up on her computer that she is no longer allowed on this persons list! But how do i know? Maybe soneone else on your contact list told him that you had blocked him! Good luck!
Clo!XxX

[Jimbob1989]

Every now and again, I will set up a new account as they eventually get filled with a load of junk mail and contacts you don't want. Just copy accross the contacts you want to keep and the others will get the point when you don't go online... ever.

Jimbob

[Usman]

hi dear,
i got a problem a problem in deleting the blocked ids from the block llist.I dont wanna add them again rather wanna permanently remove them from my list.\ thanks

[ellison64]

The person is probably not using msn messenger at all but one of the alternative chat programmes that uses messenger.Gilly messenger is one such programme and it has the ability to "see" whether someone is online when they are pretending not to be or if a person has blocked you as well as many other "extras".Short of changing your msn identity , you could always do a google search and get gilly yourself and play the person at thier own game.A new messenger id would probably be easier though.
ellison

[danielle]

how do u delete an msn account when some1 else has changed your password?

[snowbound]

-{ Quote: "how do u delete an msn account when some1 else has changed your password?" }-
As in your account has been hacked by someone?

If so, u will need to email MSN support and let them know what happened.


snowbound

[Doctor Trout]

Hi guys, I've never actually posted here before, but I was browsing and came across this.

Just thought I'd mention, that there is a pretty easy (but surprisingly not very well known at all) way of seeing whether someone has blocked you or not - that requires no extra features at all and comes with all versions of MSN.

I won't go into how to do it, unless anyone's interested, but it is there. Because of this, the best way to get away from someone is to get a new account - I don't know it you could trace his IP, and then set your filewall to block connections from him or something

[~~##~~]

dr trout. how can you see if someone has blocked you

[***]

by seeing their status on another site.

[maddawgz]

seems a bit radical??? changing accounts..delete him/her block em!! So what if they use block check... from another site thing it isnt accurate everytime anyhow so tell him or her that she's not blocked??? and ur offline and theyre paranoid.either that or just tell em str8 out!! Ya anoy me go away lol...sounds like u dont want to be hurtfull yet keep them?..if they anoyed me enuff id block em and i have b4 never theyll soon get the hint and fizzle out? .use reverse phychology LOL MD :-* :-* :-*

[Trekk]

Hello,

He is yanking you. When you block a contact on MSN Messenger the flag is sent up at the server level. In order for your friend to implement this type of hack, he would need server level access. Having said this, either your friend is VERY smart and found a way into the messenging servers, or he is full of garden quality compost :)


Trekk

[huber]

hi everybody. i got my account hacked by this one kid that i hate wit a passion. and i would like to hack his msn back. if anybody knows how this is possible plz let me know. thanks everybody

[huber]

hi again everybody.


i had that msn block checker.. and well i went to go check it and it said u have to download the newest version.. well i just got a virus from it so just telling everybody that it isnt safe

[Tassie_Devils]

huber... hi... I can understand your frustration if someone is annoying me, however, this IS a SECURITY forum and as such, any posts regarding how to hack someone will be removed immediately.

Not only is it in violation of TOS (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/TOS-Privacy.html) but it's also illegal to "hack", regardless of circumstance.

If you *know* who this person is, why not take any/all documentation to the local authorities in your State [whatever], that way, not only will you be acting within the confines of the law, but you will still be able to retaliate **legally** against this person. ;)

No one in here will obviously help you in your endeavour to "hack back", so I would advise the course of action would be to advise the authorities of any illegal act against you.

Please take care and have a nice day. :)

Cheers, TAS