Problems with Kindle and Amazon support

Yes. Been there done that. My Kindle has been through everything that Kindle Support can offer. It is corrupted. No way back from that.

Free Wi-Fi is not secure. Have you tried asking Amazon Customer Services to talk you through a reboot of your Kindle (without losing the books on it)? I had to do this ages ago for a problem I had. They were able to take me back to Factory Settings but without losing the books on it. I never use public Wi-Fi and never buy anything over it.

From a computer site

“When considering whether to connect to the public WiFi network at your local coffee shop, the airport, etc., I have two simple words of advice—don’t and DON’T. The massive flaw discovered in WPA2, the encryption standard that secures all modern WiFi networks, launched the possibility that anyone near you could easily access your information if you use a WiFi network. This includes information that was understood as being encrypted. Today’s WiFi standards are flawed and should not be trusted.

One of the biggest threats with free WiFi is the ability for hackers to position themselves between you and the connection point. So, instead of talking directly with the hotspot, you end up sending your information to the hacker. The hacker also has access to every piece of information you send out—emails, phone numbers, credit card information, business data, the list goes on. And once a hacker has that information, you’ve basically given them the keys to the kingdom.

However, despite numerous warnings, headlines, and efforts to educate, many people still don’t understand why connecting to free WiFi is an incredibly dangerous situation regardless of what you’re doing online. And while you may think ‘okay, I’m not checking my personal email or logging into my bank account, I’m just checking the sports scores,’ remember anything you do on a public WiFi network is NOT secure. Any information you share or access on these networks is as good as gone.”

Yes I’ve tried thar NanaMacGeek

This is the problem. When I was in Edinburgh recently I stayed at a hotel, part of a well known chain. I finished my current book on the Kindle and had forgotten to download another before leaving home. I logged into the hotels WiFi.

I’ve since discovered that these free WiFi offered everywhere are not secure.

This is not just a glitch

What happens in hackers can use this WiFi to access your data. They are after your card details. My Kindle is now completely useless. Even Kindle support cannot download anything to it.

I have the original MK1 Kindle when they first came out with Mobile as well as WIFI it's an amazing dyevice and I've downloaded hundreds of books - mostly free ones.
It does glitch occasionally and needs to be reset but I've never had to do a factory reset.
I tend to download several books in one connection then switch the connection off to save the battery. Surely the risk of getting it hacked is very low compared to an Tablet or Phone that are commonly on 24/7

Probably a silly question but have you tried downloading several different items? I only ask because my Kindle refused to download a book I requested recently. It turned out that it was an audio book and my Kindle does not have any audio output. (My choice, I kept going to sleep during audio book reading and could never find my place again so decided not to bother!) I understand that it is up to the book publisher to ensure compatibility with different Kindle versions.

As to hacking over WiFi, quite a few Kindles come with an embeded phone SIM (they are more expensive). I use WiFi in the house but outside, without a WiFi connection, it uses a mobile phone network, this is much more secure. However, I'm not sure if the Kindle will just connect to an 'unsecured WiFi' (it shouldn't, at least not without asking you), so agree, to be safe, switching on Flight mode is a good idea when out and about with your Kindle.

But of course you know that. Sorry that sounded patronising, it wasn’t meant .

PS Jane many of these customer services and technical support are run from Mumbai and places like that. Hence the Asian accents.

Oooooh errrr scary, thanks for the tip

I’ve been in contact with the CEO of Amazon as I was worrying about being a scam and was thinking like you Jane

The matter is under investigation but they did confirm that it was a genuine Kindle support person I spoke to.

The moral is ...do not download anything over these ‘free WiFi’ places, bevi a cafe, a hotel or anything else. They are insecure.

I'm sorry but I do think this has been a scam. The foreign voices on the recorded message and requirement for expensive additional insurance? All sound dodgy to me!

Thanks for this tip. I shall now put my kindle into flight mode except when downloading over the wifi at home. I have enough books on there that I don't have to download when I'm away.

I only switch on the wi fi on my kindle when actually downloading a book from Amazon. I switch it off straight after.
Can you contact Amazon support online rather than by phone? This all sounds a bit fishy to me. I've always found Amazon online support very efficient and helpful.

Have you tried running the battery down completely then recharging?

Absolutely not!

Just come off the phone to Kindle Support. Did all of you out there wth Kindles know that ‘.people’ can hack into your Kindle account through a WiFi link?

The only WiFi links I’ve used that are not my own were in hotels like Premier Inn or friends’ houses. If any of these were insecure then your Kindle account can be compromised and these people can get access to your back account details ie payment cards.

I’ve just had this conversation with Kindle Support.

Problem is they now want to put software in to prevent this at a cost of £78.

My own WiFi is protected and so is my computer and iPad. But never imagined my Kindle was a port for this sort of hack. I’ve changed my Amazon password and removed payment details.

Be aware.

ware you sure you are not on flight mode ?