Do you mean the Serial Number on the back? I am sorry Tihealy, but not anymore. The ticket system does not even offer it as an option and due to fraud, they have pretty much limited things to sending your Govt Issued ID. IF you managed to get in contact they might make an exception but don’t count on it these days.
I don’t want to do that so I have SMS Protect/Text set up. Lesser of evils and in 10+ years they have never lost my number, called my number, or texted my number other than the account services specified.
The US Govt on the other hand has lost all my personal info at least 3 times, my former workplace once, and my mortgage company once.
At least Blizz has not lost my personal stuff so far. Funny when a game company has better security than the Govt, Banks, and workplaces.
It might go without saying, but just to clarify. If you choose this option, you’ll want to have the Mobile Authenticator ready to put on your account. Don’t just remove it and leave your account vulnerable.
Or you have some guests to your house, and a person takes your Authenticator when you’re not looking. Or takes a quick picture of the serial number and contacts Blizzard claiming it died.
“Doubt it” is a far cry from “it should be way more than enough”.
We can sit here and go back and forth all day. The end result is that things change. Blizzard has changed the way they handle account security. If you want to leave feedback, you can do so in the General Forum.
But until they announce a change, Mirasol laid it out for you:
For as long as the battery/display holds out.
And finally, if/when your physical authenticator breaks:
I’m stuck here too. I don’t have a smartphone so no apps for me, and I don’t hand out my phone number.
I still have the physical authenticator, but its from Cataclysm I think. It still works but now I’m all worried about it dying. I guess I’ll remove it which I really don’t care to do- I’ve lost my account once before many years ago.
I can’t properly make groups now because I cannot put a title. I don’t have the time to commit to a guild.
Account goes dead in ten days. I figure on day nine I’ll cancel the authenticator and my sub will stop.
Account started on Nov 24 2004. Hasn’t been a steady sub, but I’ve had a good run I guess.
I wouldn’t recommend removing that unless you can replace it, Greise. Even if it dies while you are away, it will still protect your account. If it does die upon your return - billing can assist in removing it.
Yep! It will still secure the account as nobody will be able to provide the code from the authenticator
To remove it without access to it or SMS, yes government ID would be required. Note that this information is not stored and is destroyed once confirmation is made. This can be found in their Privacy Information too as there are very strict laws regarding the use of such information.
An account with no security in place and inactive is a favorite target of hackers. Owners usually don’t know they were hacked for some time, making it harder to reverse any damage.
While I personally didn’t state that, yes, someone who gains access to an unsecured account (through many different means) could indeed activate it in your absence.
o.O
Pretty sure that Blizz isn’t hiring “nine year olds”, so your hyperbole doesn’t really hold up.
If you don’t want to provide Blizz with info that they basically already have (and likely have the same legal requirements to privacy as any Government facility would) with temporarily confirming your ID matches your account, then I’m not too sure what to tell you.
When I was much younger, I had to show my ID to government employees in order to purchase alcohol here in Canada where I live. In much of the US, it’s just some store employee that you show the same ID to (and in some locations now where I live it’s no longer a government employee either).
I’m fine with temporarily providing my ID to a company knowing their privacy requirements as long as they do not retain a copy of it.
I grew up overseas, the dependent of a government employee. I had to show my government-issued ID to do literally anything.
All Blizzard is asking for is a photo ID with your address, to confirm that information matches the information on your account. Hell, to get my driver’s license replaced today, I had to provide (and I am not even kidding) my birth certificate, my W-2, a copy of my DD-214, a utility bill, and my bank statement.
Again, all Blizzard wants is your picture with your address, and they’re going to shred it as soon as they verify your account.
Hard pass. Hell, I don’t even have the exact address on my driver’s license. I own/live on a chunk of acreage across two towns and I use the neighboring town that the house isn’t on. XD I even use a PO box two towns over, but that’s also for convenience for work. I shudder at the grocery store when the people in front of me happily announce their phone number.
I’m very cautious with what info I give to people.
Consider this - how many times has Blizzard experienced an actual hack / data breach (also consider that they must, by law, announce such breaches to all stake holders within 48 hours)?
Of that very small number, how much customer data was gained?
This was a problem for me. When I went to remove my physical Authenticator that was dying, I had to give them a letter from the tax agency that had my address on it, because in my country your ID does NOT have an address on it.
I can empathize with the OP, but unfortunately things need to be done. Hope everything works out for you.
