Category Technical
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I am getting more and more contacts - both through the blog and privately - from people who have had their ICQ numbers stolen from them. Because of this, felt it was important for me to make a few strong recommendations to anyone who has had their ICQ number stolen or otherwise compromised - even if you aren't sure.

First, if you suddenly can't log into ICQ anymore - and you know you haven't changed your password - then in all likelihood your ICQ number has been stolen. Russian ICQ hackers seem to covet low ICQ numbers - 8 digits or less, the lower the number the more it is wanted - as some sort of status symbol on ICQ. So, if you have a lower number, then you are almost assuredly going to be targeted. If you can't log into ICQ anymore, then the following recommendations are for you as well - even if you're not sure your number has been stolen or not.

Recommendation 1: Register a complaint with ICQ support, but don't expect any help
As has been proven numerous times, the people who run ICQ (namely AOL) don't care about their legitimate customers on their network. They have a Terms of Service agreement that specifically states it is illegal to hack/steal accounts:

You further agree not to use the ICQ software nor any other software or application to attempt to override the ICQ privacy and security features or any other operation rule of the ICQ Services and Information including without limitation for spoofing, sniffing, eavesdropping, imposturing or spamming other users, breaking passwords, harassment, fraud, forgery, electronic trespassing, tampering, hacking, nuking, system contamination including without limitation use of viruses, worms and Trojan horses causing unauthorized damaging or harmful access and/or retrieval of information and data.

But here's the rub - they have this Terms of Service agreement telling you all the things you're not supposed to do on their network, but if someone does break the ToC they basically tell you that you're on your own:

CQ Inc. has no practical ability to restrict all conduct, communications or content which might violate this Policy prior to its transmission on or through the ICQ Services and Information, nor can ICQ Inc. ensure prompt removal of any such communications or content after transmission or posting. Accordingly, ICQ Inc. does not assume liability to users or others for any failure to enforce the terms of this Policy.

There is no place in the ToC where they say that they reserve the right to kick people off or anything. Their ToC is simply to state what isn't supposed to be done, and that if it is done and you're a victim, tough shit - ICQ isn't responsible.

However, I think that it would still be a good idea to register a complaint with ICQ to let them know your account has been compromised. Why? It is an electronic "paper trail" to prove you notified them and they did absolutely nothing. This is good to have, because I hope that someone in the media picks up on this and raises a stink - and if they Google and find you, you want to be able to say "yes I told them, and they did nothing - see?"

Recommendation 2: Notify everyone on your contact list that your ICQ number has been compromised
There are innumerable cases of the following scenario:

ICQ user suddenly isn't able to log into his account. He contacts ICQ, they tell him to use the password recovery, it doesn't work. He assumes something messed up on his end, or at ICQ, but never suspects his account has been compromised. He moves on, and does nothing.
While he is trying to figure out what has happened to his ICQ account, the hacker asshole that stole his account is contacting everyone on his contact list claiming to be the original ICQ number owner, and he sends the unsuspecting contact a file with a message like "You'll love this!" or something to that effect. Since the contact believes the other person to be her friend, she runs the file - and it installs a trojan/backdoor on her system, exposing tons of personal information to the hacker asshole. Suddenly credit card charges start rolling in, identity theft issues arise, and the contact has no idea how her personal information was discovered.

To avoid this nightmare scenario for you and your contacts I STRONGLY encourage you to contact each one of them (hopefully you have a list somewhere) and let them know that your ICQ number has been compromised, and that if they are contacted by someone claiming to be "you" on that number that it is NOT you. Make sure you notify everyone you know that a) you are no longer on ICQ and anyone who contacts you from there is NOT you; and b) that you strongly recommend they get off of ICQ as well.

Recommendation 3: Tell everyone you know that ICQ is not a safe place, and should be avoided
Basically, ICQ is now a free-for-all, lawless network run by script kiddies and hacker-wannabes. There is no value left in ICQ over any other network, and I would submit there is much less value there than in others because the risk to your online security is too great. Also, if you or anyone else does decide to leave ICQ, make sure you actually delete all of your contacts and terminate your account - this is the only way to ensure your personal information and contact list will not fall into the hands of undesirables.

Good luck.

Rock
**You don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing.