The internet has drawbacks and well as benefits. One benefit is that more people are learning to identify an email scam.

There has been a glut of hackings in the last 2 weeks. A server or servers must have been compromised. Google has a great forum that discusses this. You can learn a lot or do some vending there.

This is the email that went out from my account.

Hi,

How you doing? We made a trip to London (United Kingdom) unannounced some days back,Unfortunately we got mugged at gun point last night! All cash, Credit card and phone were stolen, we got messed up in another country, stranded in London, fortunately passport was back in my hotel room. It was a bitter experience and i was hurt on my right hand, but would be fine. I am sending you this message because i don’t want anyone to panic, we want you to keep it that way for now!

Our return flight leaves in a few hours but I’m having troubles sorting out the hotel bills, wondering if you could loan me some money to sort out the hotel bills and also take a cab to the airport about ($2000). I have been to the police and embassy here, but they aren’t helping issues, I have limited means of getting out of here,  we canceled our cards already and made a police report, I won’t get a new card number till I get back home! So I really need your help.

You could wire whatever you can spare to my name and hotel address via Western union:

My name
272, Coriander Avenue, Docklands, E14 2AA ,
London United Kingdom

Get back to me with the details, would def refund it to you once we arrive! Hopefully tomorrow

I await your prompt response.

Lynn…..

Lets look at some of the things that might set off warning signs for you.

Hi,

If someone is sending you a message asking for money (especially this amount of money), they would use your name.

We made a trip to London (United Kingdom) unannounced some days back,

He does explain that the trip was unexpected.  However, anyone who knows me knows that I like to plan in advance. Also I tell everyone when I have a trip planned. (This isn’t a security risk, since my husband stays home.)

Unfortunately we got mugged at gun point last night!

Guns are rare in the UK. Even the police (Bobbies) aren’t armed.

Credit card and phone were stolen, we got messed up in another country, stranded in London…

Most credit card, including the one you should “never leave home without” will get you a new card the next day. Also you can approve specific individual charges.

It was a bitter experience and i was hurt on my right hand, but would be fine. I am sending you this message because i don’t want anyone to panic, we want you to keep it that way for now!

This isn’t written with my “voice”. I try to capitalize better except in chat messages. The last sentence doesn’t exactly make sense, at least to me.

I’m having troubles sorting out the hotel bills…

Have you ever checked into a hotel that didn’t ask for a credit card up front? They pre-authorize the expected charges (usually over-estimating, but that’s another story).  You can authorize the hotel charge with the credit card company.

Our return flight leaves in a few hours

Doesn’t give you much time to send the money, does it? What happens to money sent later?

I won’t get a new card number till I get back home!

Talk to the credit card company. They will work with you, if you can prove who you are.

Apparently he sent out a follow-up message. I haven’t seen a copy of that, I do know that he hacked my Facebook account to tell everyone the emergency was real.

When you receive a message like this, take a moment to analyze it.  Does it sound like your friend? Does it make sense?

There is a website where you can paste in a message to see if it is a known email scam.

What points tipped you off that this message was an email scam? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Write on,

Lynn