Russell12 was hacked! and the hacker is scamming people!

pcgsregistrycollector · July 2, 2025 8:55PM

The account @Russell12 has been hacked. Same type of hack as BAJJERFAN. Everyone should take extra precautions.

pcgsregistrycollector · July 2, 2025 8:56PM

Just as a general rule of thumb, if people list stuff for crazy deals than it most likely is a scam.

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 9:04PM

@pcgsregistrycollector said:
...Russell12 is a hacker...

is he a hacker or your title is wrong?

pcgsregistrycollector · July 2, 2025 9:12PM

@MsMorrisine said:

@pcgsregistrycollector said:
...Russell12 is a hacker...

is he a hacker or your title is wrong?

Someone hacked his account and is selling gold coins. https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1114908/6-gold-coins-spot-price#latest

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 9:19PM

so

...is he a hacker and a scammer ... or your title is wrong?

pcgsregistrycollector · July 2, 2025 10:04PM

@MsMorrisine said:
so

...is he a hacker and a scammer ... or your title is wrong?

Both

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 10:11PM

you need to change the title from "Russell12 is a hacker and scammer"

to

"Russell12 was hacked! and the hacker is scamming people!"

big differece

pcgsregistrycollector · July 2, 2025 10:12PM

@MsMorrisine said:

you need to change the title from "Russell12 is a hacker and scammer"

to

"Russell12 was hacked! and the hacker is scamming people!"

big differece

done deal thanks

Russell12561256 · July 2, 2025 10:59PM

I just saw this, I'm "russell12" and I am not a scammer. How can I get my old account back?

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 11:08PM

you have to prove you're you and the rightful owner and not the hacker trying another trick

WQuarterFreddie · July 2, 2025 11:09PM

@PCGS_Moderator

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 11:14PM

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1114908/6-gold-coins-spot-price#latest

Russell12561256 · July 2, 2025 11:16PM

@MsMorrisine said:
you have to prove you're you and the rightful owner and not the hacker trying another trick

@WQuarterFreddie said:
@PCGS_Moderator

sure, how do I go about that and contact the proper people?
The hacker does not have my email assigned to that account, I can provide my {CGS registry name (it's different). Hopefully that are ways to do this?

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 11:16PM

the way things are hand written, they are by someone from the other side of the atlantic

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 11:17PM

@Russell12561256 said:

@MsMorrisine said:
you have to prove you're you and the rightful owner and not the hacker trying another trick

@WQuarterFreddie said:
@PCGS_Moderator

sure, how do I go about that and contact the proper people?
The hacker does not have my email assigned to that account, I can provide my {CGS registry name (it's different). Hopefully that are ways to do this?

??

they changed the email address on the account?

Russell12561256 · July 2, 2025 11:19PM

@MsMorrisine said:

@Russell12561256 said:

@MsMorrisine said:
you have to prove you're you and the rightful owner and not the hacker trying another trick

@WQuarterFreddie said:
@PCGS_Moderator

sure, how do I go about that and contact the proper people?
The hacker does not have my email assigned to that account, I can provide my {CGS registry name (it's different). Hopefully that are ways to do this?

??

they changed the email address on the account?

Would the moderators have access to what my original email was?

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 11:19PM

you can try sending a pm to pcgs_moderator and be sure to include the link to the scam bst post

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 11:22PM

@Russell12561256 said:
Would the moderators have access to what my original email was?

unknown

did the hacker change your email yes or no?

did you also change the registry acct password? if not, do it now

MsMorrisine · July 2, 2025 11:23PM

until this is settled, the original account will be banned once the mods start work

Russell12561256 · July 2, 2025 11:30PM

@MsMorrisine said:
until this is settled, the original account will be banned once the mods start work

I have a different name and password for my registry set, thanks

PeakRarities · July 2, 2025 11:35PM

Russell messaged me on Facebook from a legitimate, aged account so that should be enough in addition to his ip address they should be able to see. Last name and pic concealed for privacy.

PeakRarities · July 2, 2025 11:37PM

@MsMorrisine said:

@Russell12561256 said:
Would the moderators have access to what my original email was?

unknown

did the hacker change your email yes or no?

did you also change the registry acct password? if not, do it now

He won’t be able to know if his email on the original account was changed because he’s locked out, though I would assume that it was.

Russell12561256 · July 2, 2025 11:39PM

@PeakRarities said:
Russell messaged me on Facebook from a legitimate, aged account so that should be enough in addition to his ip address they should be able to see. Last name and pic concealed for privacy.

THANK YOU

jmlanzaf · July 3, 2025 4:36AM

@PeakRarities said:

@MsMorrisine said:

@Russell12561256 said:
Would the moderators have access to what my original email was?

unknown

did the hacker change your email yes or no?

did you also change the registry acct password? if not, do it now

He won’t be able to know if his email on the original account was changed because he’s locked out, though I would assume that it was.

Since he asked for password help and never got an email, I think it was definitely changed.

jmlanzaf · July 3, 2025 4:38AM

Few more of these hacks and people will learn why paying the 3.5% PayPal fee is so valuable. The FF and Venmo nonsense just guarantees that you can't get your money back if anything goes wrong. It doesn't even have to be a scam. Could be any problem.

TrickleCharge · July 3, 2025 4:41AM

This scam reminds me of the one that was showing up on eBay not too long ago. The scammers would get access to legitimate and well established accounts, then make bogus listings urging buyers to do business outside eBay via some link or email associated with the scammer.

Walkerguy21D · July 3, 2025 5:13AM

@pcgsregistrycollector said:
Just as a general rule of thumb, if people list stuff for crazy deals than it most likely is a scam.

Selling gold at spot wasn’t too crazy, until you saw the scammer was savvy enough to bait the deal with a few Classic head gold coins.

Morgan13 · July 3, 2025 6:48AM

I'm baffled. Hackers even come here to try and screw us.
Just crazy.

pcgsregistrycollector · July 3, 2025 7:10AM

The thing is, even if the PCGS team was able to pinpoint the scams to a centralized IP, the scammers would most likely have used a VPN or other tool to conceal their true origin.

davewesen · July 3, 2025 7:11AM

I wonder if hacking is of CollectorsUniverse website, smart phone, individual's computer, or lucky password guess?

pcgsregistrycollector · July 3, 2025 7:16AM

@davewesen said:
I wonder if hacking is of CollectorsUniverse website, smart phone, individual's computer, or lucky password guess?

Coordinated hack

U1chicago · July 3, 2025 11:30AM

Potentially another one here (can’t confirm though)….

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1114930/fs-under-spot-great-lot-of-6-ases-5-2024-bu-and-1-2014-toned-215-dlvd

JBK · July 3, 2025 11:37AM

@U1chicago said:
Potentially another one here (can’t confirm though)….

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1114930/fs-under-spot-great-lot-of-6-ases-5-2024-bu-and-1-2014-toned-215-dlvd

That member hasn't posted on the forum for the past year and a half until yesterday, so beware.

braddick · July 3, 2025 11:47AM

^
It's all good. I PM'ed this member and asked if he was a fraudster and he told me, no.

(Kidding. Let's be careful out there...)

pcgsregistrycollector · July 3, 2025 11:58AM

@braddick said:
^
It's all good. I PM'ed this member and asked if he was a fraudster and he told me, no.

(Kidding. Let's be careful out there...)

How do you know it was the actual member?

Project Numismatics · July 3, 2025 11:59AM

It seems prudent at this point to change passwords and any other websites that use the same password (best practice anyway)! This is a pattern!

Russell12561256 · July 3, 2025 12:02PM

how could the hacker change my password with out access to my email?

pcgsregistrycollector · July 3, 2025 12:05PM

@Russell12561256 said:
how could the hacker change my password with out access to my email?

They logged in than reset all information most likely. When were you last able to log in?

Project Numismatics · July 3, 2025 12:06PM

@Russell12561256 said:
how could the hacker change my password with out access to my email?

Don’t need email access to change password on this site.

pcgsregistrycollector · July 3, 2025 12:06PM

You just need to access the account

Russell12561256 · July 3, 2025 12:43PM

@pcgsregistrycollector said:

@Russell12561256 said:
how could the hacker change my password with out access to my email?

They logged in than reset all information most likely. When were you last able to log in?

Tuesday afternoon

Kliao · July 3, 2025 12:45PM

@Project Numismatics said:

@Russell12561256 said:
how could the hacker change my password with out access to my email?

Don’t need email access to change password on this site.

I also don't like that they don't send you an email after any information is changed on your profile.

pcgsregistrycollector · July 3, 2025 12:58PM

@Kliao said:

@Project Numismatics said:

@Russell12561256 said:
how could the hacker change my password with out access to my email?

Don’t need email access to change password on this site.

I also don't like that they don't send you an email after any information is changed on your profile.

They should enable 2-step verification such as a extra security question. Lots of sites have this feature and it works to great effect.

MsMorrisine · July 3, 2025 1:47PM

@Russell12561256 said:
how could the hacker change my password with out access to my email?

i'm guessing they tried a bunch of passwords until their program eventually got it right and was logged in. then they changed the email and password

or

if you are russell12 on another site, and you use the same password, once that other site is compromised they can try "credential stuffing" by using the compromised password on other sites

pcgsregistrycollector · July 3, 2025 1:48PM

@MsMorrisine said:

@Russell12561256 said:
how could the hacker change my password with out access to my email?

i'm guessing they tried a bunch of passwords until their program eventually got it right and was logged in. then they changed the email and password

or

if you are russell12 on another site, and you use the same password, once that other site is compromised they can try "credential stuffing" by using the compromised password on other sites

Changed my password on other sites now and i dont have the same handle which is good

Russell12 was hacked! and the hacker is scamming people!

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