yahoo e-mail scam, be on the ALERT!

[laurac260]

I just got the following e-mail from someone I know on Facebook:

I hope you receive at this time ? Sorry I didn't inform you about my traveling to the UK for a program, I am presently in ESSEX and I am having some difficulties. I misplaced my bag on my way to the hotel where my other valuable things were kept. I feel so ashamed, now my passport and other belongings are been retained by the hotel management pending the time I paid my hotel bills. I will like you to help me with a loan of (1,850 pounds= $3,250) to pay my hotel bills and go home. I will appreciate whatever you can afford to assist me with, I will refund the money to you as soon as I get back, I want to know if you can be of any assistance? Email me A.S.A.P

Bob (last name)

I had no idea bob was in Essex, but I did think it strange he would ask me for money, since he is my old Middle school principal.

Well I called Bob's home, and he was there, not in Essex, and not needing any money. It seems he recently got a very "official" letter from Yahoo, asking for some info. He thought it was legit, filled it out and sent it in, and now someone has his e-mail info, and I don't know what else. This same scam happened to his neighbor.

Be warned!

 

[Jaybee]

Thanks for the warning.

 

[Passepartout]

Someone went 'phishing' and caught Bob hook, line, and sinker! Never, never, never enter personal info, log-in info, or personal info unless you are the one initiating the contact!

Jim Ricks

 

[ScoopKona]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31263334/

These hotel pranks are the same thing, basically. Someone in England is probably making money on this computer phishing attack. I have plenty of faith in Scotland Yard to catch those responsible.


P.T. Barnum would LOVE living in the 21st century.

 

[DeniseM]

I hope you told your principal to contact everyone on this email list to warn them, ASAP?

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

The lack of correct English should be a big give away, too.
Liz

 

[laurac260]

Someone went 'phishing' and caught Bob hook, line, and sinker! Never, never, never enter personal info, log-in info, or personal info unless you are the one initiating the contact!

Jim Ricks

you are right. But remember, whenever these scams happen, the company always comes out with the reminder, "we will never call or e-mail you and ask you for personal info." I don't recall them ever saying we won't send you stuff in the mail asking for personal info. Bob assumed then, since it all looked so official, that it WAS. So he filled out the info, and mailed it in.

He is going to talk to his neighbor to see what all she had to do to get her stuff cleared up when it happened to her.

And yes, Liz, I would like to say the poor english was a dead giveaway, however some of the correspondence we have gotten over the years from our daughter's various teachers (and even a teacher who once told me "spelling isn't my strong suit") made me second guess my first inclination, which was there is no way someone who made their living in education would ever write like that. It did appear to me after I reread it that it was written by someone who doesn't speak American English as their first language, as there is certain verbage in the e-mail that didn't sound typical.