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WARNING: My “Near Miss” Disaster on Facebook
Posted on December 9th, 2009 in Life and Family by Fred McKinnon
Yesterday I came very close to being the victim of a hack/scam on Facebook. I’m always very cautious about emails and entering my passwords … but this seemed legit.
I got a desperate IM on Facebook from one of my friends … a guy who’d been on the worship team with me when I lived in Mississippi. He was telling me that he and his family were in London and had gotten mugged at gunpoint the night before. They were a few hours from missing their departing flight back to the states but couldn’t pay their hotel bill because all of their cash and credit cards had been stolen.
Since I know this friend, I thought it was legit. But there was this “discerning” thing happening in me that just didn’t feel comfortable. Scott (my friend) wanted me to wire the funds via WesternUnion.Com. That was the first real check. I don’t wire funds usually.
So I asked if I could make some phone calls to his family back here in the States … no response.
So I asked if the hotel could just call me and I’d pay his bill with my AMEX …. he says “the hotel’s credit card machine is broken”.
So I asked “where are you anyway”. He says “I’m at a public library”.
So I say, “if their credit card machine is broken, they couldn’t check you out anyway, so just leave and call them back when you are stateside and pay them”.
He says,
“But all of our stuff is still at the hotel, and the manager of the hotel is right here with me” ….
That’s when I get really suspicious. He keeps insisting on having me wire the money. I stall for time … (I’m trying to google his home phone and call to see if they are really out of town). I come back later and the REAL Scott is now on Facebook chat. His account had gotten hacked.
So I nearly sent a thief $550 because he was posing as one of my real “facebook friends”.
So, if this happens to you, beware. NEVER wire money to someone, even if you think it’s your friend. Confirm this stuff on the phone. If they can’t call you, or you can’t call them, you can’t help them.
Oh yeah, I called my awesome wife during all of this to make sure she was cool with us helping them out … and she says “something doesn’t feel right about this at all”. I love my wife.
So what about you – have you been the victim of any online scams, or scam attempts?
Share your story!
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15 Responses to “WARNING: My “Near Miss” Disaster on Facebook”
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good catch… it ain’t easy but sometimes discernment and stalling is the best policy with stuff on the web. i got a similar request for a friend who was actually stateside but the hacker was in europe asking for $$ because they were in a very plausible jam.
by the way… you can send me $$ anytime… electronically or otherwise! ;-P
Pete, yeah, my buddy Scott said “I was honored you’d send me the money, I could always still use some money, so send it on!”
I got the same email – but from my Mom – and my Mom hardly ever leaves Savannah, Ga! Plus I figured she would let me know about a little trip to London. Her email didn’t involve a gun though – just stolen luggage/wallet. It’s sad what people do to take from others.
yeah, well I almost always disregard emails, but this was an ongoing, active, live chat … I really thought Scott was on the other side!
Whew, Fred. That is disturbing.
close call.
hate to bring this up right now…but I’m stranded in Berlin. Can you wire me some money?
Seriously.
hehehe.
New blog post: WARNING: My "Near Miss" Disaster on Facebook http://bit.ly/5IiZcg
RT @fmckinnon: New blog post: WARNING: My "Near Miss" Disaster on Facebook http://bit.ly/5IiZcg // read this and pass along
RT @fmckinnon: New blog post: WARNING: My "Near Miss" Disaster on Facebook http://bit.ly/5IiZcg // read this and pass along
RT @fmckinnon: RT @fmckinnon: New blog post: WARNING: My "Near Miss" Disaster on Facebook http://bit.ly/5IiZcg // read this and pass along
RT @fmckinnon: New blog post: WARNING: My "Near Miss" Disaster on Facebook http://bit.ly/5IiZcg
Fred,
That gave me chills and a sick feeling all at the same time. Wow, that’s scary and proves that we need constant wisdom and discernment on what to say/ not to say on this world wide web! Glad you were protected.
Did ya'll read about my "near miss" nightmare on Facebook? http://bit.ly/4yJa6d
Man! I’ve never heard of that tactic before! That is insane! Thanks for the warning. Much appreciated. I hope that criminal gets caught and put in jail!
You are one generous guy.
The alarm bell would have gone off for me when he said mugging at gunpoint. We don’t do guns in England. Knives are much more fashionable for muggings.
Yeah and then the story really unravelled – the credit card machine is broken? V. improbable. No-one carries cash in England anymore. Everything is done on cards. He’s in a library? Weird. With the hotel manager??? Even weirder.
Well done for listening to the still small voice.