A few weeks ago I received several notifications from google that someone had tried to access my Gmail account. I changed my password but it happened again – this time the hackers got in from an IP address in Mexico City so I upped my account security by linking a phone to it and getting the verification text.

I hoped this would be the end of it, but last week I received a notification from facebook that someone had accessed that account from Kuwait. again I upped all my security settings and so far, so good, but today I’ve had an email from paypal saying that they’ve picked up suspicious activity on my paypal account.

So far, it seems that I’m not out of pocket, but does any one have any advice, I’m feeling a bit under siege.

Where do you access from?

If it’s a home pc what security do you run, is it up to date. There is a chance you have some spy wear on there somewhere that is picking up the changes.

I agree with Mike

Clean your PC (assuming its windows).

Malwarebytes for spyware (free)
Try a couple of different AV’s the Microsoft one is pretty good.

Change all your passwords for everything online to something long and complicated – a decent phrase or something. Do it from a known clean computer or somewhere other than your normal machine (avoid spyware)
Clean your PC (if you have one) and look carefully at your social media.

I hope you aren’t clicking on the links in the email. Most of the warning and suspicious activity emails I get are fakes. They have a few real links to make them look real

I think Nickjb is right you’ve been falling for fake emails. If you get these email don’t open your account through them, visit the sight direct.

Gmail ones are generally genuine and had a few facebook confirmed by going in there. That was probably a brute force crack try from somewhere. No reason not to do a thourgh check

If you feel a bit confident with computers, download an ISO of Ubuntu [12.x LTS] and download “unetbootin”. Install Ubuntu on a USB stick and boot from that for a few days.

Reset your ALL your passwords

http://xkcd.com/936/

While booted from your Linux USB stick.

Unless you’ve got paid anti-virus, switch to Microsoft Security Essentials, install and run a full scan.

Keep scanning and removing until no issues flag.

Then install and run Malware Bytes, same method.

Then Decide you’d likely be better with Ubuntu [or Mint, if you want a slightly more traditional OS] and keep using that.

My 2p

That xkcd link is useful. “correct horse battery staple” is an awesome password, and l use it on all my accounts.

That xkcd link is useful. “correct horse battery staple” is an awesome password, and l use it on all my accounts.

That was a joke, right?

I wonder if someone is reading his posts too? 😉

That was a joke, right?

Yes.
It was.
Not one of my more successful ones, obviously.