Security question

[Marianne Little]

I am afraid I jinx myself, but I have to ask:

It is threads about people who had their account compromised. And they say that they contact Linden Lab and has to answer a "security question".

What in the world is that supposed to be? I know that some sites ask you to fill in like "your mother's maiden name" or "name of your first pet".

I have no idea what I typed in. I was inexperienced with internet 17 years ago, and believe I had heard that I should never write something true if I was asked about details. I may have made up something because I did not understand that it could be really important. So in worst case, I can not prove who I am? It is making me worried every time I see a thread like that.

Some say they have to answer what email they used when the account was created. I can't say what I had when I made Marianne, all those years ago. I did not note down such things. But I get mail from LL, so they must have registered the correct email address now.

[LittleMe Jewell]

16 minutes ago, Marianne Little said:

I am afraid I jinx myself, but I have to ask:

It is threads about people who had their account compromised. And they say that they contact Linden Lab and has to answer a "security question".

What in the world is that supposed to be? I know that some sites ask you to fill in like "your mother's maiden name" or "name of your first pet".

I have no idea what I typed in. I was inexperienced with internet 17 years ago, and believe I had heard that I should never write something true if I was asked about details. I may have made up something because I did not understand that it could be really important. So in worst case, I can not prove who I am? It is making me worried every time I see a thread like that.

Some say they have to answer what email they used when the account was created. I can't say what I had when I made Marianne, all those years ago. I did not note down such things. But I get mail from LL, so they must have registered the correct email address now.

I'm not even 100% sure that LL had accounts do a Security Question on signup back in the early-mid 2000s.

One question that I was asked once when I was recovering an alt account that I hadn't used in many years:  What city were you in when you created the account.  My guess is that the city was really only a close proximity based on what my IP showed at the time. I answered with 2 possibilities, since I wasn't totally sure.  It worked - apparently one of the answers was correct since I got the account back.

[Rolig Loon]

Whenever this sort of question comes up, the best anyone can do is point to Linden Lab's own advice in the Knowledge Base:

"If you can't recall the answer to your security question or no longer have access to the e-mail account you provided, just contact Customer Support, preferably by opening a support case. You'll be asked to verify your identity and, working together, we can reset your security question."

The support staff will generally ask for some sort of documentation that will help verify that you are who you claim to be. It's not necessarily easy, and it may not be worth the hassle in the end, but they'd rather have you back in SL and reasonably happy than lost and grumbling.

[Marianne Little]

2 minutes ago, LittleMe Jewell said:

I'm not even 100% sure that LL had accounts do a Security Question on signup back in the early-mid 2000s.

One question that I was asked once when I was recovering an alt account that I hadn't used in many years:  What city were you in when you created the account.  My guess is that the city was really only a close proximity based on what my IP showed at the time. I answered with 2 possibilities, since I wasn't totally sure.  It worked - apparently one of the answers was correct since I got the account back.

I have lived here since "ever" and here is where I created Marianne - and her alts. I know I can answer that! Phew.

2 minutes ago, Rolig Loon said:

Whenever this sort of question comes up, the best anyone can do is point to Linden Lab's own advice in the Knowledge Base:

"If you can't recall the answer to your security question or no longer have access to the e-mail account you provided, just contact Customer Support, preferably by opening a support case. You'll be asked to verify your identity and, working together, we can reset your security question."

The support staff will generally ask for some sort of documentation that will help verify that you are who you claim to be. It's not necessarily easy, and it may not be worth the hassle in the end, but they'd rather have you back in SL and reasonably happy than lost and grumbling.

Oh yes, it would be worth it! I have bought so much. I could scan my passport or drivers license, offer my first born child or perform a blood rite... 😱

[Silent Mistwalker]

You don't necessarily have to provide a copy of your ID. There are other questions they can and will ask like name 3 people on your contacts list that will confirm you as you. Been there, done that, got the account back.

[Marianne Little]

26 minutes ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

You don't necessarily have to provide a copy of your ID. There are other questions they can and will ask like name 3 people on your contacts list that will confirm you as you. Been there, done that, got the account back.

I think I already sent them my ID, do any of you remember when it was "Age verification"? Ten years ago or more? Was it when they created Zindra or some other reason? I was fine with it then, so no problem.

[Silent Mistwalker]

16 minutes ago, Marianne Little said:

I think I already sent them my ID, do any of you remember when it was "Age verification"? Ten years ago or more? Was it when they created Zindra or some other reason? I was fine with it then, so no problem.

The purpose of sending a copy of your ID to regain an account is not the same purpose as age verification. You aren't verifying your age. You are confirming you are who you claim to be.

So yes, if you can't answer any of the questions they may ask to help verify, sending a copy of your ID will be the only recourse.

[Lewis Luminos]

I have some experience of this because a few years ago I raised a support ticket to reactivate an old account that had been dormant for several years. I could not remember any of the security questions (like you, I had followed advice to not use any true details). All I could remember was the first half of the email address (I couldn't remember if it was yahoo or gmail or something else but I gave them 3 possibilities). They also asked me to name a few friends, which I could do - they no longer provide a last name and ask you to provide the first name, like they did before "Resident" was a thing. They asked about payment details on file and I was able to provide most of the card number (the last 4 digits had changed). I couldn't tell them where Home was set to.

They did not ask me to send any RL ID (there would be no point - there wasn't any RL ID associated with it anyway).  But what I did provide was obviously sufficient and they did unlock it for me. 

[Silent Mistwalker]

See? I'm so dumb I never know what I'm talking about. 🤭

[Echelon Alcott]

When I unlocked an old account, a support case had to be opened (the email address I used for that account no longer existed) and the security question asked was which city I was born. I only provided that piece of information and the account was unlocked.