My E-Mail Has Been Hacked & Someone is Sending Out False Information

[ElisabethWhispers]

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from hotmail asking for verification of my information. It seemed bogus but I was tired and sent back my e-mail and password. This morning, I could not access my elisabethwhispers@hotmail.com account and so wrote a report to microsoft.

NOW, I've already received two calls from friends in the East saying that they've received a note from "me" asking for money and saying that I'm stuck in England and to please send $2500.

THIS E-MAIL IS FALSE. I AM IN DALLAS. PROMISE!

I'm very upset. To say I'm very upset is an understatement. I was told that I fell for the oldest trick in the book and my friend from Boston just forwarded the e-mail to me and here it is:

From: Elisabeth Whispers <elisabethwhispers@hotmail.com >
> Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP
> To:
> Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010, 5:17 AM
>

Hi
> Glad to reach you via email,hope that everything is
> fine. I'm sorry for not letting you know that I'm
> currently on a trip to ENGLAND for a seminar,Unfortunately I
> misplaced my wallet where my money and other valuables
> document were kept, on my way to the hotel room. And I'm
> sending this message to you,because I need your urgent
> assistance with a loan of $2,500 to sort-out my hotel
> bills,feeding and get myself back home as soon as possible.
>
> I will really appreciate whatever you can do to assist me
> out of my financial problem and promised Il refund the money
> back as soon as I returned home. So, please kindly do what
> you can,to save me from this embarassment.Hope to read from
> you soon.
>
> Best regards
###
It is signed with my REAL name.

One friend in Boston said that her computer was infected by a virus but she cleaned it. Could be a coincidence but I'm so upset right now that I wanted everyone to know that this is not me!

I have had this address for over five years so God knows who this message is going to.

ANY advice, including ways to help me calm down, would be appreciated. And if you get this note, please let me know. I'm going to try to contact as many folks as I can to let them know this is a false message.

I have changed my contact e-mail, for now, to elisabethwhispers@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Elisabeth

[steverino50]

I knew "Whispers" couldn't be your real name!
But seriously...I am so sorry this happened to you.

[jfred]

Damn! I already sent the money.

[ElisabethWhispers]

Thanks for the two smiles already, guys. But I've had this e-mail address for years and a very few know of the people that I know actually participate on this board or others. I've written hotmail in two different areas of request. I guess time will tell what does happen.

Right now, I'm calling and texting everyone that I know who has my original e-mail address to give everyone a head's up.

Hugs,
Elisabeth

[fortwortholdguy]

Buddy of mine got the same e-mail a couple of months ago from another provider. I guess these scammers think hobbyists have money to burn and will come to the aid of a provider under any circumstances. Face it if they only get one hit it's all profit, there's no upfront investment required to do this...

[ElisabethWhispers]

Originally Posted by fortwortholdguy

Buddy of mine got the same e-mail a couple of months ago from another provider. I guess these scammers think hobbyists have money to burn and will come to the aid of a provider under any circumstances. Face it if they only get one hit it's all profit, there's no upfront investment required to do this...

But how did someone have a "hotmail" return address and be able to do this? This is just horrible!!! I cannot tell you how embarrassing this is, already.

Elisabeth

[fortwortholdguy]

You said yourself they tricked you into giving them your password. Once they have that they can get access to your contacts list. Probably everyone on your contacts list got that same e-mail.

[Guest082613]

Sorry to hear about your situation.

Phishing attempts have gotten very sophisticated these days. And all it takes is one minor slip for hackers to gain control of your email account. Their goal is to try to access any other info they can - financial info from online merchants, bank/financial account info as well as try to phish/scam your people in entire address book. Scary stuff.

I hope MS is able to shut down the entire email account for soon. Since it was a hobby account, I imagine there are less loose ends to check (like bank accounts, online merchants with cc info), but you probably want to think of anything else you'll need to tie down.

Good luck. It's a good reminder to all of us to be careful. Remember, anything that asks for to log in and check an account you own should always be done from the actual website, not from the link. Even if it's legit, it's better to be safe sorry.

So sorry for your situation.

[Guest050911]

Damn, Partner... Soo sorry, let me know if I can help...

[DFW5Traveler]

Sorry it happened to you EW

Rule number one in IT: Never, ever send your password to anyone!!!

Most places encrypt passwords and only the user themselves can retreive it with the security questions that are used as part of an encryption key.

[ElisabethWhispers]

Originally Posted by fortwortholdguy

You said yourself they tricked you into giving them your password. Once they have that they can get access to your contacts list. Probably everyone on your contacts list got that same e-mail.

Yes. As one friend told me, "You fell for the oldest trick in the book". I'm getting calls from all over the place and that e-mail has probably gone to people overseas and old clients from way back when. I have had this address forever.

I have written hotmail but the damage is done. All I'm trying to do right now is damage control. Or what I can do.

Elisabeth

[txcwby6]

Funny how those kind of emails continue to circulate. To this day, I still receive the ocassional "Salutations I am a businessman in Botswana" requesting assistance with a business transaction that requires the assistance of a "trained leegal mind" (yep that's how it was spelled!). Nowadays I write back that since accepting a teaching position with the U.S. Department of Justice's Foreign Assasinations Bureau I no longer have time for my private practice but that I will be sure to pass their name and address on to my associates and well-trained graduates currently operating in Africa.

[Phrodo]

also happened to my brother in law. Just be careful what emails you answer.