Scam "I'm in Tears!!!" Our emails were hacked into!!!

Same thing has happened to two members of our family. Hackers hijack not only your email address but your entire address book as well. Then they send out fake emails to everyone in your address book, over your email address. One of the scams in our situation was the same "mugged in London" that Joan experienced. The other was a link to an online "pharmacy" selling discount viagra, cialis, etc. The latter was sent out over my 13-year-old niece's email address!

Sorry to hear about that Joan. Hopefully none of your family or friends sent money to these scammers. Thanks for the heads up. It will help us all to warn our friends and family never to send funds from an email solicitation. I do not think too many of us, if any here would ever need to have monies sent to us since we usually have access through the ATM or possibly travelers checks. If ever there was a need for such a request it would be best to handle through a phone call.

did you use an internet cafe and forget to log out?

Yeah, this happened to a US friend of mine a few months back. It's generally through being phished by fake Facebook logins, from what I hear.

It's not just fake Facebook logins but emails supposedly from people you know. Usually, it's just a link. Once you click on it, a trojan is released and the hackers can get your info. If something looks fishy, don't open it[INVALID]even if you know the sender. Check first to make sure it's really from them. I just got three emails from someone I haven't spoken to in three or four years. And it was a mass email from her. I didn't recognize the link so I deleted it. If it was real, she would have written something.

We knew a guy whose email was hacked in just the same manner. We knew it was a scam because he had been laid off several months before and hadn't found a job jet. I don't know if it's related to Facebook accounts, but he does have a Facebook account.

The scam can also happen via netbooks/laptops/Ipods/Ipads being physically stolen. Most people store their emails passwords on the device. Even though it's pain in the butt, always have email settings setup so that you always have to enter a password before before checking and sending emails. It's also considered safe practice to have your email password different from the password you use to access websites....this defeats phishing scams as lots of folks use one password for everything.

The FBI's website has a warning on the exact scam that hit Joan.http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm

We just got an email last week that was suppose to be from our former sister-in-law...about being mugged, etc., in London. How is was written it didn't sound like something Judy would write. I called my nephew right away and he comfirmed that his mom was at home, safe and was never out of the country.

Thanks for the info on this scam. We will be going to Italy and Spain next week. I've alerted my family about this. Impossible to alert eveyone in my address book. Will probably not use internet cafes, but I do use Facebook. Scary.

I have heard about this and know someone this happened to on facebook. The only thing you can do is change email provider, passwords, and maybe email Interpol. If you use any hotel computer, internet cafe, be sure to log off. A month or so ago, CNN Business Traveler did a show about WIFI scams at airports and how people can hack your email just by sitting near you when you log on using wireless access.

I would just point out that this scam has nothing to do with travel. Neither of the two victims I know was ever out of the U.S. Your email can be hijacked just as easily here at home as overseas.

There are two reasons why I wanted to start this thread:, 1. To get the word out about this scam, especially for those traveling. 2. If you might find yourself needing assistance from family or friends at home, you may want to have a "code" in your email home, so they really know it is from you. Happy Travellers

I got one such email from my city alderman, someone I exchanged business emails with three years ago! I seriously doubted that he would contact ME for help or money, so I just laughed and deleted it.

True, you have to be certain that you did log off in an internet cafe...I almost didn't, luckily I caught myself before I left the place in London on this last trip. Thanks to all for the information!

I received the very same one one here in Oz about 3 months aqgo. I barely knew the lady concerned, so was instantly suspicious. Someone hacked into her Hotmail account.

Wow, thanks for getting the word out about this. Next time I am on a trip I will use the "code" strategy that the above poster suggested. (I got the point that one not need to be traveling for this to happen, but when one is home, people don't worry so much.