With Acclaims latest policy of not recovering items and gold lost through hacking, it pays to protect oneself against hackers.

Modus Operandi

Trainers
Certain tasks in the game, such as buff training, are very time consuming. Sometimes, players look for an easy way out and attempt to download or ask for links to macros and trainers. These in turn provide an easy way in for hackers who will include a keylogging script in the training program.

E Mails
Some hackers take another form. They are wolves in sheepskin, whom you may find in parties, on your friendlist or even in the league. These players attempt to befriend you and gain your trust, offering various forms of help such as sending you a trainer or game guide through e mail, or by asking you to sign up at a certain website. Their unfortunate victims discover that these 'friends' are really enemies only after their accounts have been emptied of everything valuable.

Account Trading
A third and overt form is that of alleged account trading. An 'account trader' offers you an account in trade, giving you false information on his user id and password, while you give him your actual user id and password. When the victim logs off and attempts to access his 'new' account, his account has already been taken over unwittingly.

Impersonation
Some account thieves impersonate GMs or VGMs, claiming that they require your account ID and password in order to investigate certain alleged irregularities. Those who fall prey to this will find severe irregularities in their inventory once the supposed investigation is over.

Account Hijack
This form of hacking is perhaps one of the most malicious and subtle forms. The hacker will attempt to gather as much information regarding your account as possible, including your birthday, the e mail address with which you signed your account up with, and other relevant information in order to be able to prove that your account is actually his.

Prevention

Never share your password with anyone - game staff will never ask for passwords
Do not open e mails from unknown senders; scan your e mails/downloads with trusted anti-virus software
Post in forums using a dummy e mail account, with a user id and password different from your actual game account
Do not share the e mail address with which you registered the account

Cure

Report anyone who asks for your password, together with supporting evidence in the form of screenshots, to support immediately