I've been looted: The aftermath...

The nightmare that was having my account hacked is now over and, for the most part, my items and gold have been returned.

The following is the time line of events for the past four days:

Thursday Noon: I receive two emails from Blizzard says that two of my accounts have had their passwords changed online.

Thursday 12:15: Call into Blizzard Customer Support. I speak with Erin, tell her my situation and she resets the passwords on all three accounts and tells me to open a ticket with a GM for restoration.

Thursday 12:30: I check Armory and see most everything is gone.

Thursday 12:31: Dread, panic, and misery set in.

Thursday 1:00: I post about the incident, a guildes read it and file multiple tickets with GMs on my behalf.

Thursday 9:00 PM: I finally get online, see the damage is done myself and open another ticket.

Thursday 10:00 PM: Blizzard responds via email saying they will investigate and restore as needed.

Friday: I level alts. Guildies take me on alts runs, donate bags, and are extremely helpful and supportive.

Saturday 10:00 AM: I log into Kora get my mail and Christmas has come early. Blizzard restored everything on all toons. The gear is even properly gemmed and enchanted.

Saturday 10:01 AM: I am very happy.

People I would like to thank:

@ Blizzard: Erin, Feryndai and Triphysic

Friends and Guildies: Cal, Boa, Tris, Slick, Seph, Bone, Chor, Soop, Mes and LTP

I made it through this as well as I did with all of your help. Thank you very much.

Until you have your account hacked you can not really understand the kind of trauma and stress it can cause. I reminded myself often that it is just a game, but the feeling of loss and violation is quite real.

Before this happened I had a very non-committal attitude about gold-selling, but now I am adamantly against it. Please don't by gold and discourage everyone you know from doing it as well. You never know the gold you get may just be mine.

In a stoke of coincidence, the co-host of one of my favorite podcasts, The Grind, just had his account hacked as well. Listen to episode 40 as Steve describes the process and feeling of this better than I can.

Now that all of this craziness is over I will get back to regular posting. Part two of my mutilboxing guide has been posted below.

Until then, remember NO DRAMA is good drama. Oh, and don't buy gold!