An example of a phishing email I received today, which at first glance appeared to be a legitimate email from a friend, except for a Gmail warning at the top:
The text reads:
Hope you get this on time, I made a trip to Aberdeen, Scotland and had my bag stolen from me with my passport and credit cards in it. The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly without my passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle Hotel bills. Unfortunately for me, I can’t have access to funds without my credit card, I’ve made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me some quick funds that I can give back as soon as I get in. I really need to be on the next available flight. I can forward you details on how you can get the funds to me. You can reach me via email or on Blue Island hotel front desk phone, the numbers are, +447031804805 or +447031804806.
I await your response..
Fortunately, my Gmail provided this warning at the top, or I might have been more prone to believe that it actually came from my friend (and would have wasted time emailing her or calling mutual friends to confirm her location):
Warning: The content of this message is suspicious. The sender’s account may be compromised. Beware of following links or of providing the sender with any personal information. Ignore, I trust this message Learn more.
Be careful out there. “The skeptic does not mean him who doubts, but him who investigates or researches.” ~Miguel de Unamuno (Spanish author and philosopher, 1864-1936)
Update: Following is another variant of this scam email. Beware!:
Apologies for having to reach out to you like this, I made a trip early this week to London, UK and had my bag stolen from me with my passport and credit cards in it. The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly without my passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle Hotel bills. Unfortunately for me, I can’t have access to funds without my credit card, I’ve made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me some quick funds that I can give back as soon as I get in. I really need to be on the next available flight. I can forward you details on how you can get the funds to me. You can reach me via email or May field hotel’s desk phone, the numbers are, +447031804805 or +447031804806
—
I misplaced my wallet and other valuables on my way to the hotel I lodged. I would have called you but there is no phone on me and I am sending you this e-mail from the city Library (and I only have 15mins in every 2hours to access my email from here). I have no funds on me because I had to block my account immediately the incident happened, I am facing a hard time here because i have no money on me to clear my Hotel bill and other expenses. Please I will like you to assist me with a soft loan of €2,600 Euro ($3,700 USD) or any amount you could afford to sort-out my hotel bills first and to get myself back home. I have reported the case to the embassy here and they are going through the necessary procedures but I will appreciate whatever you can afford to assist me with and I’ll refund you the money as soon as I return. Please let me know if you could help me with the total sum or any amount you can afford.
I await your reply immediately so I can email you will need to help.
—
Hello,
How are you, I hope everything is fine?. I’m so sorry I did not inform you about my trip to Spain; it was imprompt and personal. Presently, I will be glad if I could confide in you and I want this issue to be confidential between You and I because I don’t want people to get worried about my situation. I’m presently in Valencia (Spain) for a seminar and to complete a project, but am having some problems here. It has been a very sad and bad moment for me over here and the present condition that i found myself is very hard for me to explain.
I misplaced my wallet, mobile phone and other valuables on my way to the hotel I lodged. I am sending you this e-mail from the city Library (and I only have 15mins in every 2hours to access my email from here), I had to block my account and my bank cards immediately the incident happened., I am facing a hard time here because i have no money on me to clear my Hotel bill and other expenses. Please I will like you to assist me with a loan of €2,600 Euro ($3,700 USD) or any amount you could afford to sort-out my hotel bills first and to get myself back home. I have reported the case to the embassy here and they are going through the necessary procedures but I will appreciate whatever you can afford to assist me with and I’ll refund you the money as soon as I return. Please let me know if you could help me with the total sum or any amount you can afford.
I await your reply immediately so I can email you will need to help.
Thanks.
If you get such email, just ignore it. Stay away from this scam.
Related stories:
- Scam: Help! – I’m stuck in Valencia and need some money
- Hotel credit card wrong transaction email malware attack
- A letter from a new friend
- Incorrect hotel charges – install malware for refund
- Malware attack disguised as email about blocked credit card
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Received the identical e-mail yesterday. After responding last night and saying that I could wire money, if given the information, I received the answer to send the money with Westen Union. I was about to go to the bank to get the cash, but wanted to check this out further first, when I found your site.
The instruction was to send the cash to: 269 Gorgie Road, Alberdeen, EH 11 17X Scotland. No name was given.
Thank you for your site, but now I am worried about my friend. She does not respond to a call to her cell phone.
AG
I am the victim of this hack. It is only gmail that lerted recipeints that that I was not the author of this mail. The sad thing is that everything in my email inbox, contacts, sent were all wiped out.
I received an identical email this morning (30/5/11) from someone I had not been in touch with for many months. I informed her straight away and she said that 2 weeks ago her Macbook was stolen in a Spanish town of Mora d’Ebre in Catalonia.
Doing a reply to this email sends it to an address that looks identical but a v has been changed to a u. That means someone has set up an almost identical email address just to phish this person’s email list. Seems strange that someone who has stolen a Macbook in Spain can get into what appears to be a wider global scam.
We received this email, but it referred to the purported sender’s wife by her name – the pfisher must be able to personal these emails by accessing other material in the friend’s computer. The email sounded suspicious tho’, especially since we had an email from these friends in Germany the night before with no mention of Scotland. We found your site when we googles “Blue Island Hotel Scotland” – we had wanted to check the phone number.
Thank you for the warning. We have alerted our friends to the scam.
I have received this very same email today. It has wiped out all my emails, all my contacts and all my yahoo folders. Can this ever be recovered I wonder. I am devastated.
Just received this email from one of my clients. Since I know she can’t really afford a trip to Aberdeen and she would have told me if she was going. I’ll call her this am to let her know she’s been hacked. And as a former resident of Aberdeen – they’ve used the wrong phone code for Aberdeen – 224 not 703!
Thanks for sharing this. I just got an e-mail with the same message. I was writing an answer when I asked myself where this hotel really is, and I found your website.
Thanks for help and for sharing this!
Thanks for warning me, I got the same mail, but they filled even the names in. Maybe they hacked the account of a friend?
I rcvd the same email today , after I answered , they ask for $2,000 usd that trasfer by Western Union or Money Gram.
Thank you very much for this information. I received on July 21 also the same message from a business relative on my business account. I read my e-mail only a couple of days later because of holidays. I replied, but now this mail was signed by another person however I didn’t notice it at that moment. A sum of money was asked and the address was given in a third mail. Having serious doubts about these emails because they were not personal, unfriendly replies, not updated with information about the situation…, I found on google your information.
A friend of mine had his yahoo.com email hacked, and “sent” me this. I replied and he asked this of me:
******
Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 5:47 AM
Subject: Re: Hi
I have made inquiries and western union seems to be the best option for me to receive funds right now. Pls let me know if you can send it using western union.
******
Here was my immediate reply:
**************
—– Forwarded Message —–
From: Chatman
To: “robert***@***.com”
Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 5:17 PM
Subject: Robert, Great News!! The money is on its way!!
Ok Robert,
You and I have known each other for over 10 years, so I know we can trust each other.
The money has just been wired as of 11:01 am PST, but a Federal Agent came by and told me that The President passed a law making all US Citizens traveling abroad without passports pay a re-entry of 2000.00$ USD. The US Embassy in Aberdeen will give you a Special International Credit Card, you will then use the card to transfer the 2000.00 USD from the Scotish National Bank to the bank of Washington DC payable to the US Goverment.
When you get back to the USA you will have three years to pay back the 2000.000 to the Scotsh Government.
The White House Agent told me they called the Embassy in Scotland and confirmed you’re situation. An Official from the White House that heads the foreign US Embassies needs some information. I need the name of the building you stayed in when we first met.
But first there are some very easy forms and documents that you must read. I NEED you to [read this] that I got from the White House [regarding the replacement passport] and trip back to USA. Please [read it carefully]!! It is very important.
Good Luck, and hope to see you soon!!!
***************************
I haven’t heard back from my friend Robert. What do you suppose happened?
>:)
PaulJC
I forgot to mention that the [bracketed] portions were links to the sites calling out this e-mails scam. The last one pointed HERE. LOL!!
I just received the same email today, including a follow-up email asking for money to be sent to Western Union, care of the same address above.
I then sent an email to spoof@westernunion.com to report the fraud. No reply yet. I also called Western Union’s fraud hotline and asked if they could freeze any funds sent to that account and contact the police. They said that they co-operate with police investigations but do not initiate any calls to police, which I found very disappointing.
Does anyone know which police to contact, and how? It would be great to catch these culprits showing up at a Western Union office trying to cash in their stolen money.
I confirm I received the same email today. Same wording.
I suspected fraud right away. The wording “I await your response” is not an American term, but it appears in most “Nigerian emails” I receive.
This is a “419″ as folks say in Nigeria (fraud).
I also got the same e-mail, so quick like a bunny I logged onto BT.com and looked up the phone number for “Blue Island hotel in Aberdeen… Guess what…no such hotel…or anything else called Blue Island. There is a Blue Island hotel in Enugu Nigeria though…surprise??
I suspect my friend has had his phone stolen as stated, but that’s where the trail ends. Probably stolen in the US, and sent to Nigeria to be hacked.
Definately a new variant on the old 419 scam.
Pablus
Hi Paulus, thanks for your sharing. If not mind, could you forward the scam email to us? Thanks!
I too, just got identical email. I was wondering why my friend would ask for emergency fund while she has tons of close relative and friends. I had not seen or talked to her for more than 8 months. However, I did call both phone # listed on the email, the 1st one was busy (or none exist phone, who knows). I did not understand the pre recorded message on the 2nd #. Then, I googled Blue Island Hotel and see if I can reached her through hotel reservation… Thanks for the Almighty google and those who posted their experience. this site save me from been victimized by those heartless and lawless scammer.
My account was hacked and this message sent to everyone on my “contacts” list. The perp even sent a follow-up message to confirm the recipient received the first request. Fortunately these contacts are intelligent people who can smell a skunk across an ocean.
Hi,
Even i got mail today, i replied get me details, then i got reply in 1 hr with the Western Union details.
Luckly i got your site and didn’t got trapped.
Thanks,
MutturAJ
Hello, received same message early morning 15th Aug. but only read late evening on 16th Aug. I answered to sender immediately asking for more information. Unfortunately our friend didn’t answer until Sunday, 21st Aug.11 which left us all
very unsecure about the whole situation five days long. In the long run things have turned out fine – but it still gives you a fright.
August 23rd, 2011,
Now they try in German! Same text “Blue Island Hotel, lost bag aso.”
Vorsicht! Der gleiche Text wie in obigen englischen Mails! In Perfektem Deutsch.
We got the same message to our business e-mail, The e-mail was from “my husband” exactly his same name. We knew it was a scam because he was reading the message with me.
Hello. Phishing also made me the letter from the Hotel you mentioned. If you want to resend it. Is there any way to recover the email contact, everything is empty. URLs are from Nigeria. thanks
I received it in Italian today, and it is Green Island Hotel.
The number seems to be a mobile one.
I didn’t click reply, but sent a fresh email to my friend who hasn’t yet replied, (which is odd given that he was meant to be waiting for the first plane back to wherever he was going). I asked him some questions which only he could answer as a precaution, and told him I thought his account had been hacked.
I just received the exact same message (from Aberdeen, Scotland) yesterday and found this web site today. Thank goodness we have the Internet to save us from these scams. I sent an email to the friend who supposedly sent me the plea for funds—I also noted that her email address did not match the one I had for her!!!
i received this email from my mother whom appearently got hacked on Facebook. I received a post from my sister with a video attached stating “Mom you look stupid int this video, WTF?” and since my sister is a film student who always post videos i clicked on it but nothing happened. That video went out to all my friends and some how wipped out my moms contact info and files. I called the number but it doesnt take block numbers and when i asked the operator where this number is from she said London, England.Hmm?? my friend (my Mom) is in Aberdeen, Scottland! Im sick and tired of being (trying to be) scammed. What is this world comming to?? Hackers and Scammers this is for you: There is no such thing as fast and easy money without being caught! Idle hands are the devils work! Get UP and OFF UR ASS and GET an FN JOB!!
I just received the same email in GERMAN language. What was suspect: there was an error in the e-mail address of my friend. I called back to the given phone number, it did not work. But they replied to my email in quite good German twice. So I called to the German Consul in Aberdeen. He is not in his office. It’s clear: it’s phishing.
Just got this a few moments ago…
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 12:39 PM
Subject: Re: Hi
You can have the funds sent at any Western Union agent location.Here are the details you will need;Kristin Whitmire,1bs wind street,SwanseaSA1 1EPWales.Keep me posted,Thanks.
What a geezer!
i did a trace of the mail and i find out it is comeing from afrika
IP: 115.178.12.197 [DNS] – [Tracert]
Domain: nm5-vm0.bullet.mail.sg1.yahoo.com [Whois]
Country: AP – Asia/Pacific Region State/Region:
City:
IP: 41.155.34.195 [DNS] – [Tracert]
Domain: dial-pool34.lg.starcomms.net [Whois]
Country: NG – Nigeria
State/Region: Lagos
City: Lagos
Hi tracer! Many thanks for the report.
All – I got a call from my friend who received the same email at 1:30AM today 11/29/11 – she called to check as she couldn’t believe I’d solicit funds via email and she was concerned. Prior to calling me, she received an email back saying that “I” was in the library, using their computer and the contact numbers in the email weren’t currently working, but they’d send her additional info re wiring funds through “Western Union”.
My contact list was used and everyone got the email – all contacts have been wiped out, as well as all the emails I ever received and sent. Currently my email is “locked” and I cannot get into it to change the password.
From my work email, I immediately sent all the info etc to yahoo.abuse (& ATT) – they’re investigating. What to do from here?
Are there any additional repercussions that we need to be aware of? I’m pretty PO’d about it all!
I also just been the victim of this evil email. All contact list, contents, documents save in email have been wipe out! Does anyone know how to get back all those information. Some of them are really2 important… Please help us!!! They use Yahoo log and states that there are two emails that cannot be displayed. To see those emails, we are required to reenter the password….! don’t enter your password! it is a disaster!… Just wonder how to get back the contact list and the contents of my email
Got info today from friends that such an IDIOT is trying on me….
the mail address was d_hariing@yahoo.de so there was that double ii
the hotel obviously does not exist ….
AND, THIS WAS SENT, WITH ref HALLO
> lch hoffe du hast dies schnell erhalten,ich bin nach Madrid, Spanien
> verreist und habe meine Tasche verloren samt Reispass und Kreditkarte.
> Die Botschaft ist bereit, mich ohne meinen Pass fliegen zu lassen.Ich muss nur noch für mein
> Ticket und die Hotelrechnungen zahlen.Leider habe ich kein Geld
> dabei,meine Kreditkarte könnte helfen aberdie ist auch in der Tasche.Ich habe schon Kontakt mit meiner Bank aufgenommen , aber sie brauchen mehr Zeit, um mir eine neue zu schicken. Ich wollte dich fragen ob du mir ein bisschen Geld so schnell wie möglich leihen kannst. Ich gebe es dir zurück sobald ich da bin. Ich muss unbedingt den nächsten Flug bekommen.Ich kann die die Details schicken wie du mir das Geld zukommen lassen kannst. Du kannst mich per e-
> mail erreichen oder an der Rezeption des Blue Island hotels,
> die Telefonnummern sind +34632256302 .
>
> Ich warte auf deine Antwort,
>
> Dieter Haring.
now, does this……. wait to call this Tel# of a hotel, that does NOT exist…?
this blue island hotel madrid thing happened here too! the origin came from a ‘Yahoo Undelivered Messages’ email with a link that asked for my password! then everything was gone, they changed the return address and some of my friends lost money on this one! the Yahoo spam filter did not sort this message and the spammers use the Yahoo logo too!
My accounts and website got hacked into last Thursday. Sending people massive e-mails, etc… I was getting so much hate mail.stoled all my contacts. Tuesday This scam began
Subject: Hi
Hope you get this on time, I made a trip to Swansea,Wales and had my bag
stolen from me with my passport and credit cards in it. The embassy is
willing to help by letting me fly without my passport, I just have to
pay for a ticket and settle Hotel bills.
Unfortunately for me, I can’t have access to funds without my credit
card, I’ve made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up
with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me some quick
funds that I can give back as soon as I
get in. I really need to be on the next available flight. I can forward
you details on how you can get the funds to me. You can reach me via
email or on Blue Island hotel front desk phone, the numbers are,
+447031804805 or +447031804806. I await your respo
They are sending this letter out to all my contacts.
This scam looks like its been going on for some time, I had a few friends ready to send the money. How can you stop these people??
I hope no one gives into this, Thats why I love reviews!!
Have a wonderful day!
Carrie Fischer
:
I just received this email and I got shocked about it… Fortunately good people create sites like this to advertise others about those criminal actions. |Thanks a lot. Greetings from Brazil!
I just got the identical scam from “Swansea Wales” but everything else is the same and the Blue Island Hotel and the numbers.
I called my friend who was in bed at home in KY.
Is my email compromised? or is his or both?
It looks like the phishing grounds are changing over to Germany now. They hacked the yahoo email account of a friend of mine, mailed the same message in German language to all addresses from his address directory. At a glance the message looked written in good German language but only to a foreigner – not to native speakers
Also the complete content of the email account ist erased like reported already here.
The first thing I did has been to call him and I found him at home.
My next action has been to inform our police via the Police Online Station for the incident to support prevention.
To my friend I recommended no longer to use Yahoo for email because it is known Yahoo accounts are not save enough. There are better providers.
And this to my E-Mail yesterday with Subject ‘Hello’.
lch hoffe du hast dies schnell erhalten,ich bin nach Aberdeen, Schottland
verreist und habe meine Tasche verloren samt Reispass und Kreditkarte.
Die Botschaft ist bereit, mich ohne meinen Pass fliegen zu lassen.Ich muss nur noch für mein
Ticket und die Hotelrechnungen zahlen.Leider habe ich kein Geld
dabei,meine Kreditkarte könnte helfen aberdie ist auch in der Tasche.Ich habe schon Kontakt mit meiner Bank aufgenommen , aber sie brauchen mehr Zeit, um mir eine neue zu schicken. Ich wollte dich fragen ob du mir ein bisschen Geld so schnell wie möglich leihen kannst. Ich gebe es dir zurück sobald ich da bin. Ich muss unbedingt den nächsten Flug bekommen.Ich kann die die Details schicken wie du mir das Geld zukommen lassen kannst. Du kannst mich per e-mail erreichen oder an der Rezeption des Blue Island hotels,
die Telefonnummern sind +447024029894 oder +447024030611.
Ich warte auf deine Antwort.
Because I’m not used to be adressd by the person, which sent me the E-Mail, by first name, I was suspicious.