OT: email spammers

Mochi

I just got an email (my gmail account) from someone from YLF whereby her own account had clearly been hijacked by spammers. (She was on vacation in Madrid with family, she'd just gotten mugged and needed me to wire an emergency cash loan of $1500!)

Should I let her know, or will it pointlessly make her feel bad? She may want to give her friends a heads-up? Will this resolve itself eventually, or is the account permanently compromised? I have seen it happen all the time, but never to my own email, so I have no idea.

Thanks!

(PS: it's someone who I haven't seen on here in the past week)

13 years ago

General

9 replies

Latest reply was from Mochi

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I say let her know! Chances are that other friends of hers have gotten this too, and someone may have alerted her, but if it were me, I'd want to know.

13 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

Then do you know if she is still able to receive emails normally at that account? I'd try PM-ing her here, but I haven't seen her active here at the moment.

I hate technology sometimes. It's so obviously not our faults, but this is so embarrassing somehow...to have our names (yes, hers was on the signature!) hijacked for some scheme. Gah!

13 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

And on rereading it, there's not even any means given that I could wire money. I got a red-tagged warning from gmail that this is probably a scam to get more info, and that the account may have been compromised. I'll just try messaging her here. (Don't want my own info getting involved now!) Thanks.

13 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

Mochi, I got the same email too, to both my gmail and yahoo accounts. I am 100% certain it is not legit.

13 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

That is clear. It is one of the ladies involved in the trip down to NYC to meet Angie, so I also wouldn't be surprised if others who were in on that conversation receive it.

13 years ago

Ana

(website)

Veteran

I'd send her a message on YLF. Chances are other people are also letting her know, but you can't know for sure. I'd want to know. If my e-mail got hacked, I wouldn't be overly embarrassed (these things happen sometimes) unless friends and acquaintances kept receiving the e-mails and I didn't know about it because no one told me.

13 years ago

Isabel

Veteran

Oh my Mochi. Yes, let her know.

I would actually contact Angie or Greg so that they can email directly from YLF without any of your info being involved. Since she was YLF NYC, Angie might have her cell number. I am sure that what the frauds want you to do is respond to the email with info about your bank account.

Is she asking for the money or is it the hijacked emailer ? Either way, you need to stay as far away from this as possible. You should also send a note to the FTC...they track this stuff and it is very important.

13 years ago

Greg

Administrator

Yes, it sounds like her email account has been compromised and they are using it to reach out to people who have exchanged email with her in the past.

I'm happy to reach out to her if you pass on the details using our contact form.

13 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

Thanks, Greg and others. I just PM-d her here.

13 years ago

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