Account security

From Whirled

Account security, or keeping your Whirled user account safe, is of great importance. When a player's account is compromised, and someone uses it without their permission or to do things that the owner of the account wouldn't want them to do, the results range from in-game loss of property and reputation to a permanent account ban.

Prevention

The vast majority of account compromises are not actually due to "hacking," but due to the sharing of account information. The following are steps you can take to keep your account safe:

Do not give your account password to anyone, even if they are an Agent, other employee of Three Rings, or someone you otherwise trust. Your password is meant to be for you alone, as the owner of your account, to know. Agents and other Three Rings employees do not need, and will not ask for, your password. If you share it with someone, that person is able to log on as you and have access to everything you own, including the entire contents of your "My Stuff" inventory, rooms, Shop listings, and whirleds. In addition, they have access to all of the above that you share or manage for other players.
If someone asks you or someone else for your password in-game for any reason, report them immediately.
If someone in-game or via email directs you to a website that asks for your account name and password, send in a report about them immediately and note the URL for the website in the report.
If someone sends you a file they say can give you items, stats, or money in the game, do not accept it or open it! If you have opened it, remove it completely from your computer. Submit a report (or a mail an Agent, if the player who sent it is not in-game for you to report), and enter in all relevant information about the scam and the scammer.
Make your password easy for you to remember and difficult for others to guess. For example, don't use someone's name or a birthday. Tips on creating a good password can be found below in the "External Links" section.
Make sure that the email address registered to your account is your own email address. If someone tries to change your password, you will get an email asking you to confirm the change.
Use a password for Whirled that is not the same as passwords you may use for other games, applications, and websites.
Remember to scan your computer regularly for viruses and keyloggers, and if possible, use firewall software.

I Was Hacked! What Do I Do?

Use the "Update Password" section of your account page to change your password.

Should you find that you have lost control of your account, and the account has not been banned, do the following:

Attempt to regain control of your account by changing the password using your Whirled account page. Make sure to change it to a brand new password, not one you have used before!
You can also use the "Forgot?" link on the Whirled main page to try to recover your password.
If Three Rings does not have billing information, a permaname, or a correct email address registered to your account, it may be impossible to verify your identity, and the account may not be returned to you. In addition, items or currency lost from the compromised account will not be returned or reimbursed. This is why it is essential to keep your computer secure, and not to give out your account information in the first place!