When a scammer hacks the mailbox of a contact

If a scammer gains access to the mailbox of a friend this is the type of mail he'll send out trying to get money from the contacts. he only needs one success to make it a very profitable piece of work.

Of course it creates chaos and bad feeling for the person who has their account hacked, especially if any of the contacts respond by paying money.

I have no idea why I got this mail, but it's possible that a scammer is using the script without fully knowing how it's used. I thought I'd reproduce the mail here so that google can find it and lead any other people getting a copy here so that they'll be warned.


Reply to address - [email protected]

Subject: I need your help

Hello,

I am in a hurry writing you this mail. I traveled to UK wales for an urgent function and i got mugged at a gun point. It was a terrible experience. All cash and credit cards were stolen away from me. I reported to the police they asked me to wait for 2 weeks to carry out investigations. I am totally freaked out here.

Right now, my return flight leaves in couple of hours from now. I am only telling you this because i do not want you to panic at all. just keep it the way have told you till i return back home.

I am seriously having problems in settling my hotel bills and to get a taxi down to the airport. Just wondering if you could loan me $2000 to settle my bills and to get a taxi down to the airport. I promise to pay back when i return back home today.

Please you can help me send the money to my name and my present location because i am only left with my passport to pick up the money.

David Proffitt
Colwyn Bay, United Kingdom LL28 4EP

Do let me know if you will be going to the western union outlet right now to send the money to my name and my present location and please dont forget to get back to me with the transfer details which is the senders information and the MTCN number.

I await your urgent response.

Thanks Alot

If the police ask you to wait, it's not only common courtesy to do as they request, it would be unwise to ignore them. They might wonder why the person is so keen to leave and failure to comply with their request could prevent them from making an arrest. Obviously the police would not be unreasonable, but they would be surprised if someone treated an armed mugging with such casual indifference.

UK hotels, as I'm sure most other hotels round the world, take card details when you book or sign in, so being mugged won't require any cash for paying the hotel bill, and a return flight will be pre-paid, so that leaves the taxi fare. If the police are happy for the man to leave, I'm sure they'd be happy to give him a lift.