my contact list was hacked and completely disappeared, what do I do?

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Level 1

8 points

my contact list was hacked and completely disappeared, what do I do?

Today (8/17/16) while doing a map search on my iPod, I got a message that my device could not connect with the server. I checked wifi settings and all appeared normal.

A couple of hours later I started receiving Damon undeliverable messages from people on my contact list, however I had not sent any recent messages. It became a blizzard of returned mail with comments stating that a "drop box .pdf file" could not be opened.

When I went to my contact list to respond to some of the senders, I found that my entire contact list had been wiped clean with only my name remaining. This list was perhaps 200+ names and information. I have never had a security problem with apple products and I have been a user since the 1980's.

I share an Internet connection with my significant other and she has a PC laptop running windows 10. I did a complete virus scan on her device and found three variations of a Trojan horse which were immediately eradicated. I am assuming that one of the Trojan horse/virus was the culprit but is t possible that it completely removed (not copied) my entire contact list and if so, is there a means of restoring the original information? Additionally, I just discovered that most of my messages had been scrambled and headers disappeared as well

"

iPod touch, iOS 9.3.4

Posted on Aug 19, 2016 9:56 AM

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Answer 1

lllaass

Level 10

210,519 points

Aug 20, 2016 12:39 AM in response to SylmarNC

If on a computer browser you go to icloud.com and sign in are the contacts (and other iCloud information) still their?

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Answer 2

SylmarNC Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 20, 2016 1:01 AM in response to lllaass

Sorry for the slow reply. Ran windows defender and multiple virus checkers on culprit PC laptop and found several more hidden trojan horse type virus junk. Oddly enough this was the machine that I was using to access iTunes and the cloud backup for my ipod so I couldn't access the cloud and iTunes until all these scans were complete.

Long story short, iCloud backup came through like a champ and restored all the missing contacts and returned my iPod to normal, with the exception of message headers. I probably had saved too many messages anyhow so it was a wake up call to save less unnecessary stuff and gain some additional space. Thanks for your assistance and the reminder that Apple has us covered. Not having ever experienced a mess like this it was probably a good thing to go through the steps necessary to do the restoration, as a good "confidence builder". Worked out great!

Thanks again for you suggestion.

Older Mac user, Gene

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