A Very Clever Scam...beware.

[Tilly2]

I had an email this morning, supposedly from the wife of one of my friends. She asked how I was and explained that she couldn't talk to me on the phone because she had laryngitis. She asked if I shopped at Amazon and, if I did, could I do her a big favour.

This favour was to use my Amazon account to send a John Lewis birthday e mail gift to her friend's daughter who had 'gone down with liver cancer'. (Strange phrase, I thought)

£250 was the amount to send. Then, following emails were chivvying me to send the money asap.

I rang my friend and he explained to me that his email account had been hacked and the same message had gone out to all his contacts. One had actually sent some money earlier. He has had a terrible morning trying to sort it all out but at least he has managed to speak to his email provider who has now removed and blocked the messages.

 

 

[ToraToraTora]

how were they going to get the £250 to you?

[barry1010]

Despicable spammers, thanks for the warning 

[Tilly2]

They live nearby, T3 and I meet my friend quite often for lunch.

[ToraToraTora]

No i mean with these scams they usually tempt the victim by saying they'll repay the dosh+more somehow. No scam would just ask for £250 without some sort of hook. Did it explain why they could not order it from Amazon themselves?

[Tilly2]

In the email, she said                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  'They' had spent some time trying to send  the gift card but their attempts were 'abortive'                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

[New Judge]

Had exacly the same thing about two weeks ago.

E-mail seemingly from a friend asking me to buy a gift token to send to his daughter as a surprise. He couldn't buy one as his account had been hacked!

Fortunately there were a number of glaring grammatical and spelling errors which I know my mate would not have made. I also know that he would not have made such a request anyway, even if he was genuinely unable to buy the token, mainly because I know he does not have a daughter!

Other than that, a good effort.

[Tilly2]

Just bumping this for others to see.

[bookbinder]

Tilly2, thank you for the warning. I like to think that, being a highly sceptical sort of person, I wouldn't be caught out by that kind of trick, but we can all have a blank moment! Thanks again.

[Tilly2]

You're welcome, BB.

[Patsy33]

Thanks for warning, Tilly.

There must be some people out there that go to bed dreaming up their next 'elaborate' plan! Horrible & scary..

[Impatiens]

Something similar happened to me a few years ago. My account was hacked and one kind-hearted neighbour fell for it. I think she didn’t know me well enough to realise that the request was unlikely and uncharacteristic. We’re still friends!

[Arksided]

It's good for the heads up Tilly they're loads of them about this time of year be aware folks. 

[Khandro]

I got one from a 'friend' who was supposedly in Spain and had been robbed, had all his cards stolen & could I transfer him some money.

He is a doctor, - in fact a psychiatrist, and one of his (not so mad) patients had somehow got my email address from his address book.

I smelt a rat, phoned him and he was at home busy working!