I Was Hacked and Lost Everything

[@alli3263]

A lot of scams thrive on the victims being embarrassed about “falling for it” or being hacked and not telling people, so thank you for overcoming this and sharing your experience.

[@jonathangibson3609]

+

[@thelogIady]

I was genuinely so sad, I thought all my favorite comfort videos could be lost forever. I'm so glad those bozos couldn't get you

[@MyChannel773]

me too! i rushed to check the channel so quickly

[@merzius8860]

A lot of videos still appear to have gone tho. I archive YT videos and compared with December 2022, 22 main channel and about 400 second channel videos aren’t there now

[@sophiaguerieri8650]

@@merzius8860 :(

[@thedreammweaver6274]

Comforting things to hear when you're feeling uneasy 1 and soft tones on a stormy evening are gone, I listened to those to fall asleep all the time

[@fourdollaremo]

@@thedreammweaver6274 i really hope those go back up :-( soft tones on a stormy evening was also one of my favorites

[@OriharaKaoru]

Thanks!

[@TheScareLab]

I remember seeing the Tesla live and assuming it was just recommended, ignoring it and moving on. It wasn’t until I noticed all your videos were gone from my Comfort Videos playlist that I realised something had happened. I’m so glad you were able to get everything back and not lose all your years of hard work.

[@sakuraheony]

yeah i didnt realise till i complained on tumblr about getting the live suggested someone told me it was probably bcos a channel i subscribed to had been hacked

[@ProduccionesSamy]

Same, I didn’t realise until now. I thought that KZbin had auto subscribed me to the Tesla KZbin channel or something like that so I just unsubscribed not thinking much about it.

[@TheBerrylicious95]

@@ProduccionesSamy Oh my god, yes! That moment was so weird and I also unsubscribed!! :o

[@RobbySauce]

Dang dude in sorry to hear that happened! This happened to me last year, and they turned my channel into a crypto channel haha

[@Sam-pm9vy]

It’s so easy to ignore the signs when you’re frazzled. It’s what they rely on. It’s the only time I’ve been caught on one of the phishing tests at work. I’m sorry you went through all this and I’m glad you got your channels back

[@birdtutorialart]

I’ll never understand why Google allows the ads to show up as the top results when searching for things. It’s so often a scam site. I really wish that they would change the way they lay things out so that you don’t see ads first

[@HillierSmith]

I wouldn’t be who I am today without that favourites playlist, I’m glad that survived.

[@catboote9740]

This is terrifying, I’m so sorry , well done for bouncing back !!

[@jessicawhyrick574]

Glad you are back! I don't know what I would do without you. Stay safe Planet Explorers!

[@ncoley]

can we talk about the worst part, which is that the website was an advertisement. maybe if google actually gave a shit about vetting that kind of garbage this wouldn't have happened.

[@toadgrass5708]

The day this happened I was in such a bad mental state and I went to look for “comforting things to hear when your feeling down” and I couldn’t find any of your videos and it honestly broke my heart. But I will say this whole situation helped me realize the fact that things don’t last forever and to appreciate all the wonderful people in my life and all the great artists I get to see grow and create beautiful things. I am so soooo glad to have your videos back they’ve been an inspiration in my life and career for so long! I wish you the best to get out of your funk and want you to know I will be religiously watching and memorizing all of your videos in case they get wiped from existence again :D

[@ellw7830]

same :)

[@frankiestein1713]

I felt like that around the time Unus Annus got deleted. I feel that pain so deeply. I still miss them so much

[@mickeymae1298]

I grew up with a dad who worked in internet security. We got lectures about internet safety all the time, even since I was like 4. Even I've fallen for scams like this. Be safe everyone, and be kind to yourselves if it does happen.

[@maehlie29]

Thank you for opening up and for being so vulnerable. Your videos and streams truely mean so much to me!

[@jesshill4279]

I saw the Tesla live videos be recommended to me and I ignored it thinking it was KZbin trying to get me to watch something random. So thankful that PJ managed to get everything back I absolutely love his videos they are such a comfort and joy

[@anchxrheart]

Absolutely terrifying that this can happen so easily, even with all the double security, etc. I can relate to the "all your work stuff going poof and being able to vanish into thin air" feeling - my university has done exactly that to me. But it's definitely only a positive thing when it's on your own terms. Either way, glad you got your channels back in the end and that none of the cherished memories were lost along the way. Stay safe out there, everyone! Also ... I AM human. Really.

[@FleurTamara]

i'm genuinely so, so glad your channel/s are alive and well again! a big thank you to all the people who supported and helped you sort the problem, and those who kept you safe during what was surely several days of insane stress and anxiety. big love peej

[@mollyisaverage]

i saw the tesla stuff in my sub box i was so confused but i’m so glad you got your channel back peej!!

[@silvernfortuna2257]

Same here, I was looking for a comment like this. I went to my YT account and I saw that I was subscribed to Tesla US and a livestream of Elon in some kind of meeting was happening. I unsubscribed and thought nothing of it. I also went through my gmail and other stuff, and everything else seemed fine.

[@anoja31]

I had unsubscribed from the tesla channel 😭 I’m glad you’re back!

[@odetoclear]

saw all of this on twitter, and youtube even unsubbed me from your channel :/ glad you're back!!

[@whalesrock5432]

I also got hacked recently. The only difference is I have no idea how or where. One day I just started getting notifications saying other locations were logging into my spotify, old twitter account, and such. Nothing as life altering as yours. I was so surprised by it as I never expected it to happen to me. It became a process of changing all of my passwords to new ones and logging people out of my accounts. I wasnt even worried about it until I realized it could access sensitive documents since it was all connected to my email. It is a scary thing to go through just on my level let alone how much it affected your very livelyhood. You did a great job handling it! I'm glad your channel was brought back and I hope that you'll be able to emotionally recover from this incident. You are definitely not dumb for falling for it as im 100% sure many people would fall for something similar. Thank you for telling your story :)

[@DeadlyTsuki]

Not only that ppl who have disabilities that make it hard to read could be wildly effected too. It’s sad anyone getting hurt this was sucks..

[@slightbirb3204]

no judgement here! anyone could make a mistake like that when they're eager to get back to work, like you were. i'm glad your channel is back, and that you've got a big support network around you. i hope your mental health improves afap (as fast as possible)

[@entlestove4318]

I got your most recent video in my recommended and realized I hadn’t seen your content in so long :( I for sure thought I was subbed so it was a shock to see I wasn’t but this clears some stuff up lol

[@illmamnim]

Omg I'm so glad you made a video with dnp because I completely hadn't noticed I've been unsubscribed! Missed nearly a year of videos- time for a catch up

[@fanofeverything21]

assumed that it would indeed be the fake obs. that sucks but im so glad you got help fast!! many creators have to wait for days for anything to work again. will share this video!

[@hugo5502]

So good to have you back!!! Thanks for your wholesome content, it makes me happy

[@corvuspika]

proud of you for getting through this wreck, im glad your channel was saved. i love your channel a lot. in regards to how your mental health has been, hopefully you take the time you need. love you kicky peej

[@hamada3ido125]

Glad to see youtube succeeding in saving much of your channel.

[@novak4082]

also not in a great place mentally atm so feeling you and sending good vibes ❤

[@etheric_dissonance]

i'm so glad this got straightened out, i was really worried when i realized what had actually happened! i'm intimately acquainted with mental health struggles and the impact they can have on your life, and how even "little things" can feel like insurmountable emotional obstacles. just know that there are people out there who have been helped in times like those by the content you've made over the years, and that you've made a difference for people.

[@jennamilleryall]

This is WILD! I can’t imagine the amount of stress this brought you. Glad to see you here 🏆

[@bryncoolio]

PJ!! Viruses and such are a big phobia of mine and to hear your story and how it was solved really takes some stress of my shoulders concerning all that. I'm so very happy that it was all fixed for you! KZbin really wouldn't be the same without you xx

[@flixchix95]

No joke, you're the second channel I know who had their channel get taken over. Still super scary and very happy you got your channel (still sad some video are still missing, possibly)

[@lps-emily]

really awful that this has been happening. all my love and support

[@jesseallgood8349]

Omg I saw the tesla video in my sub box! I was so confused, I just unfollowed and forgot about it until now. Also, glad you got everything back ❤️

[@Kai81194]

It took me a few days to hear about it and thus re-sub, I'm sure over the next few weeks a large portion of people will continue to do the same. I'm glad it seems that things have mostly been able to be restored for you. I hope you continue to have the support you need. :)

[@theanonymousclub2466]

SO THATS WHAT THE TESLA BULLSHIT WAS ALL ABOUT OMG!!!! I was SO confused when I was getting notifications from someone I clearly would never subscribe to. I’m so sorry this happened PJ and I’m glad that KZbin was quick to action

[@SR10790]

Oh poor Peej :(( I’m glad we’ve got the channel back, but I’m sad that you had to go through all of this.

[@_GhostTea]

How terrifying, I'm so sorry this happened to you, PJ! Glad to have you back!

[@bethbergeron5914]

Hey I’m sorry ur going through a hard time keep holding on. You are one of my biggest inspirations. Thank you for all you create

[@notelliot8457]

As soon as you said "Tesla" suddenly everything made sense. I remeber seeing the livestream and getting angry, thinking that KZbin was now subscribing random people to Tesla related channels; turns out Elon Musk is still to blame but for a different reason. That bit at the end about asking people to not kick you while your down really spoke to me. Its easy to hear someone fall for something like this and default to a "how could you let this happen" mindset, but all that makes you do is forget that the other person is still A PERSON and probably already went through a peroid of greif/shame. Nobody tells you "hey, i fell for scam" thinking that it was a good thing.

[@zerogattsu]

This is such a scary situation. I’m so sorry this happened to you!!!!

[@bricheesyy]

so scary to go through something like this!! i hope you’ve been doing some self care since then & i’m so happy this had a positive ending!! long live kickthepj (and the favorites playlist) !!

[@suleeofficial]

I'm so fooking sorry you had to go through this PJ :*0 It takes a lot of time & energy to recover from something like this when you're juggling a lot at the same time (mental health being a big one). Don't be so hard on yourself and take your time to heal - you deserve it after all that emotional rollercoaster! We're here for you!!!

[@daisytapia7038]

I'm just so happy that you were able to get things back and order. I got so scared and anxious when I saw all of that. Hopefully this sort of thing never happens again!

[@nemmys]

I'm so glad this got resolved for you! It's awful it happened, but I hope it's a good learning curve, now it's less likely to happen again! Also, your jacket is stunning!!

[@ocaroldan]

man, I haven’t watched you in forever but seeing the notification I quickly clicked. glad that you have your channel back!!

[@jupiterpls]

im so pleased you were able to get your channels back and letting others know what to look out for! i didn't unsubscribe, it never occurred to me it was a hack or a random channel that had forced people to subscribe that caused the notif to pop up. i genuinely thought youtube was just pushing some video muskrat was dropping! 😳 not fun at all, especially when the fix is just out of your hands and a waiting game. so glad you're back up and running and hope you're doing good or at the very least, better x

[@afss9901]

I am so sorry that happened! We are all so glad you were able to get everything back!!!!!!!! And thank you for sharing your story. This reminded me that I need to be more careful, clicking things is so easy I often forget...😅

[@KatishTheOwl]

"I am human" - okay, lizard man. On the serious note, I'm really sorry that this happened to you. And I'm relieved that you managed to get everything back. Hugs to Peej✨

[@chankatie1114]

Damn that sucks. I remember downloading a bad file and freaking already when only ads popped up lol. Glad to have you back Peej.

[@evan]

Big yikes. I always scroll past the ads on google even if it’s the same site just so I don’t click an ad but never considered it coulda been something like this! Glad you’re back bubby boy

[@jackmarshall5069]

The ‘favourites’ playlist helped me realise you was hacked and not me accidentally subbing to a random Tesla account haha

[@CoffeeQueen03]

I didn't realize you had been and I unsubbed thinking this was a different channel but it crossed my mind when I couldn't find your actual account that you just had been hacked or something So glad you are back!! I was worried!

[@emmyabroad]

I remember seeing this happening in my subscription feed and being so concerned for you - I’m so glad you’re back! I’ve been here since your 2014 era and am honestly glad this whole debacle has brought me back to your content

[@coffeeandtrex3344]

Love you, Peej. I'm sorry to hear that you're having a hard time. Sending hugs!

[@beamitchell7590]

My heart sank 6ft under when I read the title!! I am so so so glad you were able to get your channel back, I love scrolling through your old videos and rewatching. This channel has been unbelievably important to my life and the path I have taken, I’ll always be wishing the absolute best for you. Take care of yourself always ✨💗

[@AlexErcoli]

oh damn, I'm so sorry this happened to you! those are honestly such small mistakes to make, it can happen to anyone... it's so unfair that you had to pay such a big price for that. I guess this explains why I got a couple of Tesla/Elon musk notifications, I was so confused... thank god im lazy and I thought "I'll deal with this later if it keeps happening" so I deleted the notifs without opening, or I might have thought I had accidentally been subscribed to another channel and I would have unsubscribed! I'm glad it was solved in the end, and that you had a good support network around you. I hope things get better for you soon, my best wishes for everything 💕

[@y2kwtfm]

Thank you for sharing your experience! It's so important to not drown yourself in embarrassment and actually admit to something that could possibly save someone from making the same mistake. Also happy to see you back! I was so confused when that T*sla livestream popped up at my feed, thought my account was hacked for a second. And how devastating it was to realize that it was actually your channel when someone said that on my twitter timeline. Anyways, I'm glad that everything resolved in the end 💜

[@meifiower]

im so glad ur back dude i never wanna experience the teslapocalypse ever again

[@TianaJanelle]

Thanks for talking about this, I'm glad you were able to sort things out in the end. I've seen others go through this, so when I saw the weird notifications, I knew to just leave it for a few days to see if whoever it was came back...and, sure enough, now you're here with this video. There's way too much shame around getting hacked, and the hackers count on that so people stay quiet. All it takes is one moment when you're off your game for someone to take advantage and turn your whole life upside down. It can happen to anyone. It's never the fault of the person getting hacked, no one can be at 100% all the time. It's scary to know how easy it is for it to happen.

[@keitadarkwolf2591]

Yeah... you're the second person in my subsciber's list this happened to. By the exact same group, it seems. I'm glad you got your channel and your stuff back.

[@gerardwaycrazyzone]

i am so so sorry this happened to you, i can't imagine how awful it would've been to go through and i'm so happy you got your channel back :) wizarding up a better future for pj 2023!

[@LlewsArt]

Welcome back PJ! I was so confused when I saw that dumb live stream but I'm so glad I found out which channel I had lost. Don't be too hard on yourself please. ♥

[@adeana_]

this was so scary to watch unfold im so glad you got your channel back

[@toasty_melba]

So glad you got your channel and our beloved vids back! Hopefully no more stresses, some people are big old bozos

[@SpliffSplaff]

This is heartbreaking! I'm so sorry you had to go through the stress of that, I can't imagine how scary and awful that would feel 😩 I've almost been watching for 10 years and it would be really sad to lose you and all my favourite pj videos, I'm so glad you got your channel sorted but sorry you lost subscribers from this. I also make tons of stupid avoidable mistakes and it's completely normal, you're doing your best and we all love you for it dude💜☺️

[@sophiaguerieri8650]

thank you for sharing and spreading awareness. we love you pj and are always here to support you through the ups and downs cause you’ve always been there for us. (also thank god i was so scared everything was gone also about the favs playlist 😭)

[@bluebellkara]

I saw your channel was taken over and I was so worried and upset for you. I’m so glad you got it all back okay!

[@blackanne]

I unsubsibed from you when I noticed the tesla livestream because I didn't realize it was a hacked account, I thought maybe mine was because this new channel appeared and it wasnt even on my subscription list, weirdly enough. But once I realized what it was I started keeping an eye out on the recommended videos because I knew youtube will probably still recommend whatever channel I unsubscribed from, so I'm happy that I found yours and could subscribe back!

[@BaileySuttonMusic]

Okay I am so glad I very randomly logged on to twitter a couple days ago to see you mention this. I thought Elon was pulling some sort of U2 nonsense and adding himself automatically to our iPods. The favourites folder was the one clear giveaway something wasn’t right tho. I just couldn’t quite pinpoint who that buffet of random internet faves could have been from. Glad you got it all back and that you had the support to work through it all!

[@kit_kat_hi]

We’re glad your back PJ ❤

[@cjanney3592]

So happy you got your channel back! My husband and I watch your videos and we were really worried when we saw you got hacked. Glad your back!

[@toastyminimallows]

Glad you got everything back up and running! You have got one heck of a community behind you ready to support you through the big wreck. Looking forward to the PJ content to come!

[@duhbluh]

Sooooo glad you got your channel back. You're BACK and you're WONDERFUL and I'm just delighted Peej - KZbin wouldn't be the same without you!

[@RachiiLovegood]

I'm so sorry this happened to you and I'm sorry you have been in a bad state of mind recently. I'm happy you have a network who supports you. You have given so much to your community, know you are loved and appreciated. When I was going through one of my worst depressions, watching your videos and your streams were one of the few things that gave me peace and made me laugh. I hope things get better for you soon 💖

[@Sims2Pack]

I'm so sorry this happened. I hope things are easier on you moving forward, I'm so glad you're still here and giving us wonderful content!

[@paradeoflaughter]

The organization that I work for does an annual security training that I so appreciate. Hackers are getting so tricky and it's easy to fall for things! I hope others are able to benefit from this video!

[@airskaart1442]

I’m sorry this happened to you. But I also want to say thank you for sharing your struggles when it comes to mental health. This year, I’ve been struggling pretty bad with it. I would watch your videos, and just wonder how you kept on creating, or how you just always seem so put together. Anyway, it’s just nice to know that one of the inspirational, creative people I watch isn’t so different from me. So, I hope you have better days coming this year, and that you can create all the projects you dream up.

[@sarcoidosis33]

You have one of the most rewatchable youtube catalogs so I'm really glad you were able to save your channel

[@TheScottTubes]

Getting scammed is awful, and feels so violating! Thank you for talking about it. Scammers hide behind our shame!

[@scully-wully]

we love you pj!!

[@vrelkin]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I am glad you were able to figure the issue out. Also, I’m glad your channel is back. I’m probably one of the few “senior” (whatever) citizens to follow you, I love your videos.

[@ravensoott]

I knew something was up when i delved deeper into the tesla channel and they had a playlist with "mario fart reverb" in it

[@yamo_chan]

It could have happened to anyone, prime target or not. All it takes is a brief moment where you are distracted or not fully paying attention. I’m so glad it was resolved quickly and without any major loss. That being said, I’m still sorry it happened to you. We may just be words on the internet, but we are here for you whenever you need us!

[@BlooGhost]

I’ve been off KZbin for a little over a month or so now to try and be more productive at school- I am SO SORRY this happened!!! But thank you so much for sharing this experience! It is a good reminder to make sure to keep our files secure as best we can. Glad to hear things got resolved!!!

[@adiash247]

I'm so sorry this happened, but so relieved you managed to save your videos and channel. Going to rewatch some of my favorite videos over the years (starting with "Office Space"), which have always inspired me greatly

[@NatashaDuPrez]

big up pj, you and your art are so wonderful. I am sorry that all of these things happened :(

[@sofiespruce]

Thank you for sharing PJ! So sorry that this happened to you

[@brycehoffhien8904]

im sorry you've been having a hard time recently that's very sad to hear. you and your videos have always been a bright point in my life and your lullaby cube video was the only thing that would help me sleep and bring me out of panic attacks when i was going through a hard time. I truly enjoy you and your content being a part of my life please always keep making things.

[@lunamanceranimation]

Saw the hack on Twitter. Glad to have you back!

[@missimmi]

I’m so glad you regained access and were able to settle things. It’s aweful going through stuff like this. Take care of yourself PJ.

[@_LOVERiplier_]

i’m so glad everything worked out! i hope the rest of your year is nothing but smooth sailing!

[@becs2cool]

glad im back :) (thank goodness for the homepage recommendations and this eye-catching video)... being hacked sucks but i'm happy you and everything is back

[@user-iz3ss5rb3z]

I'm sorry this happened to you! But thanks for being so open about internet scams, and helping anyone who's gone through something similar feeling less awful too

[@scoopsmcgee01]

Totally relate to getting overwhelmed by too much info at one time, and having small things seem like the end of the world. Your channel is here to stay and so are we!

[@kross4298]

i’ve been there!!! i’m so sorry you had to go through this i’m glad everything was sorted out

[@emma_nutella58]

I’m so glad that your channel is well again and alive

[@justsomegirlwithamoustache529]

Glad to have you back! :)