VBulletin Account Quandry And Lack Of Help - Any Experience

An email account of mine was exploited, and it was most likely my fault for a dictionary word password. This account was just used for spam generally. I do have a few things on it but its basically a personal email. vBulletin was one.

Well someone apparently figured out the password because they wanted my vBulletin license. I log in to quickly check the mail yesterday and I see about 10+ vB emails for tickets on top of my email not logging in with the normal password. I realize the guy is still on at the very moment trying to get my license transferred. So there's a clear mark of two different people being on the account. vB did great in holding him to their security features and not allowing him to change the account login.

Despite this, he managed to get the license itself suspended because there was an install on my website under my name and some random hacker website. He had done that after his attempts to transfer were denied. Well, in the process of this, I get on and I am able to answer the security questions without issue. I get all the passwords changed so he no longer has access. In fact, I hardened everything because I am generally up on this sort of thing (figures its the one account, so for those of you who use weak passwords that's my testimonial).

Well, I ask what I need to do to get my license turned back to my website. I get a response saying that I've "already been told" what to do and I'm not going to be told this again. Keep in mind that despites someones attempts to change everything, I was the only one in a clear non-broken English accent, with an IP that can be documented as being used before, and I answered the security questions. I read through the phony ticket and it doesn't say much of anything. I also noticed outright incompetency when it came down to the vB tech saying that other license of mine (clearly expired and not used) was illegally employed on my hosting forum which clearly runs SMF.

The rep. replied to me again today saying he would explain it, but the only explanation I see suggests that I need to purchase another license. I understand that the email issue was mine, but it sure feels like vB is trying to take advantage of a bad situation. I keep being told that no exceptions can be made.

Has anyone ever had this happen and what are we expected to do? I'm not buying another license, I've worked for a variety of companies in the past and there is always some reasonable way of verifying the person is who they say they are and helping them. I'm not here to bash vB, although I am quite disappointed. I just need some help that I thought I was paying for.