Topic: HELP! email looks like spam, what should I do?

[Squash64]

Yesterday I received an email (supposedly) from a woman at the allotments. She has emailed me many times in the past about various allotment things and is one of the few plot holders who always replies to my emails.  When I read the email, I was suspicious because it didn't sound like her but I did reply, and asked if everything was alright. This was the first email:-

Are you available? As i have something i need to discuss with you and I'm unavailable over the phone? Kindly get back to me if your available.

Then this morning I received this,  it is a typical Nigerian-scam type of thing -

Good  to hear from you.  I'm sorry to bother you with this but it is a bad time for me . I had to make a sudden trip to Cyprus (Europe) due to some urgent matters to help my sick cousin, she was diagnosed with (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) a type of Blood Cancer and had been undergoing treatment lately. The news of her illness arrived to me as an emergency.

The hospital management is demanding for a deposit before they can carry out the surgery operation to save her life and I traveled down here with little money because I never expected things to be the way it is right now. Can you assist me with a loan of £2000 or whatever amount you can come up with if not all? I'll surely pay back as soon as I get back home.

Please, let me know if you can be of help so I can advise on how to transfer the funds. I’ll be happy to hear from you soon regarding my request and please remember to keep this private.

Any idea what I should do?  I have a feeling that she (I'll call her 'Mary') might have received Nigerian scam in the past and been taken in by it.  Is it possible for scammers to 'take over' her address book?  I don't have Mary's phone number, and I don't want to reply to that email address.

Or am I worrying for nothing?

[Silverleaf]

Her email account might have been hacked. I'd delete the email myself, it does sound like spam.

[Flighty]

It's almost certainly spam so delete it. Don't open any attachments or reply.   

[goodlife]

To me that shouts like a scam I would totally ignore it.
But if you whittle about it..send  to 'her' a reply..."Dear Mathew....I'm sorry to hear about your struggles...unfortunately I'm not able financially help you.....but when you do get back, lets talk over cup of coffee...while you are away, what do you want me to do on you plot?" Nobody else would not know what 'plot' is and what to do with it!

What ever happens...DON'T give any contact details or post any money...even those in genuine need would not send that kind of messages and particularly to demand to keep it 'private'.

[galina]

Something is not right her end and somebody has harvested the addresses on her computer to send this type of spam.  Ignore it but do tell her, she is not aware of these emails going out.

We had a variant of this last year.  An email purporting to be from a friend who had got into trouble abroad and was held at the embassy and needed an urgent payment to set him and family free.

All bunkum of course, but it did get us phoning him to check that all was well.   

[Squash64]

Thanks for the replies.

I don't intend to send money, I know the real Mary would not send this sort of email.  My worry is for her and her contacts who will all probably receive this sort of email.  I was wondering if the police  ever investigate this sort of thing.

Galina, I was just about to send this when I saw your message.  I wanted to phone her but I don't have her number. 

[galina]

Thanks for the replies.

I don't intend to send money, I know the real Mary would not send this sort of email.  My worry is for her and her contacts who will all probably receive this sort of email.  I was wondering if the police  ever investigate this sort of thing.

Galina, I was just about to send this when I saw your message.  I wanted to phone her but I don't have her number.

I doubt the police would be interested because no crime has been committed and the origin of this spam is almost certainly from abroad.

But she needs to get her computer checked and her anti-virus program updated.  I am sure more computer savvy people can give excellent recommendations on how to go about this.

[ACE]

At the top of some email pages are different options you can click like delete, junk, etc there should be a menu that drops down from spam which says 'my friend has been hacked' click this button and the email server should sort it. Your friend will have to change her password.

[woodypecks]

Delete it and forget about it ........yes .....move on and dont give it another thought ! 

[Borlotti]

That happened to me ages ago, letter sent to everyone on my address book, can't remember what it said but I hadn't written it and it wasn't very nice, had to ring a few people up, to tell them not to open it.  Did worry me, think I rang up the help line and they helped me, a bit embarrassing as at the time I was Membership Secretary of the tennis club and it went to everyone. 

[BarriedaleNick]

Most likely the email address is spoofed/faked or the account has been compromised.  It is so easy to fake the senders name (much easier than hacking an account) but either way there is little you can do.  I deal with this sort thing all the time here at work and my email address (it is publicly available) gets used a lot (or used to)..  It doesn't mean my account has been hacked or compromised - just someone spoofing it.

[caroline7758]

We had a talk from our local Trading Standards officer at work yesterday about scams and it's truly shocking how much money vulnerable people are being scammed out of. This site makes interesting reading:
=http://www.thinkjessica.com/http://www.thinkjessica.com/

[caroline7758]

Sorry- can't get that link posted properly for some reason.

[Flighty]

Here's Caroline's link -  http://www.thinkjessica.com/

[Squash64]

Thanks for all your replies.

I've had a very sad day today because my almost 18 year old Border Terrier Vera had to be put to sleep this morning.
I'm not quite thinking straight at the moment.

[gazza1960]

WOW what a fantastic innings for your pup im sure youll have loads of happy memories that will go some way to
seeing you through this sad time Betty.

Gazza

[lottie lou]

What always amazes me is the amount of money they ask for, not a few quid but thousands.  Reminds me of the time I engaged a local solicitor, recommended, to purchase the freehold of my house.  I rang them to say I would put a cheque for the requested amount plus fee,  £3000++ , through their letter box later that evening to be asked "could I make it cash instead as it would be better".  Incidentally I had to contact them a couple of years later to find out how the purchase of the said freehold was progressing and remind them that the costs had already been paid.

[Squash64]

WOW what a fantastic innings for your pup im sure youll have loads of happy memories that will go some way to
seeing you through this sad time Betty.

Gazza

Yes, lots of memories Gazza, she was a real character and we will never forget her.
Betty

[Paulines7]

I am so sorry to hear about your dog, Betty but pleased she had such a long and no doubt very happy life with you.  Sending hugs and thinking of you.  x x  {{{{ hugs }}}}

[Silverleaf]

(((Hugs))) from me too.

Losing a pet is so sad, especially one you've had for so long. Knowing that you both had a better life because of your time together helps though. Xxx