General Chat

Could do with some advice.
Have received an e-mail which states the correct name of sender and corredt e-mail address. Probelm - sender is asking for money because he's been held up at gunpoint - in the UK- and the police are not giving him any help.
I know this is a scam, the English is terrible, my friend is an ex-journalist. My problem is - has the e-mail address been hacked by someome and my friend has no knowelge of this and what can I do about It.

Almost all my contacts got an email offerring them cheap viagra! I informed them it was nothing to do with me and changed my email password. No problem since (I hope).

A lot of these scams started from facebook I think. I received one and apparently sent one out. Mind you yours is a bit more nasty with mention of being held up at gunpoint. Just notify your friend that it has happened.

Thanks for your replies.

Will contact him later as he lives in OZ.

i got caught out through facebook, supposedly from one of my nephews which I tried to open on facebook , It put advertising material on my PC which i had to delete I changed my email password just to be sure

His Email address had been hacked through facebook and the offending connection sent to all his contacts

Why don't you give your local police station a ring and ask them what you should do?

Hackers can get anyone's email address.
What did you mean that your friend is being held up at gunpoint in UK, yet you say he lives in Oz???
It's a scam, but if you feel you want to do something, contact your local police and tell them what you know. If they think it worthwhile, they will follow it up for you.

Thank you all for your replies.
My main concern is that someone maybe trying to steal my friends idenitity.
I m going to e-mail him and ascertain where he was when this e-mail was sent. I just hope that it he wasn't on holiday in Wales as stated in the e-mail.

Once again, thanks to everyone who has replied. If I don't get a satisfactory reply I will be going to the police.

i am inclined to be worried firstly for your friend,

tho i htink it a scam
i would contact his local police
or yours

This happened recently and we were told an ex member was in bother and needed money, and I am sure I had a second one from someone else too, it's a scam but you need to let your friend know as others from the email list will have received them too no doubt.

Julie, unless you are sure anyone sending you such a mail is abroad or away from home etc just don't panic about these mails, they are inevitably scam ones, just let the sender know.

Lizx

I have just sent an e-mail to my friend re- his request for money, explaining the circumstances, so hopefully this episode will be resolved.

Thanks for your replies

Just a thought -
if your friend's email account has been hacked - would your email get toi him? could the hacker not intercept??

Liz