John Lyons' email hacked

[BoxOfSnoo]

I got one of those "I'm in another country and got mugged, send money quick!" scam emails just now.

Just so you know THIS IS A SCAM; and NOT from John (of course!).

I have come across this a few times.  Likely his email account got hacked, and someone used his account to send out phishing messages to everyone.  Sometimes they forge the reply-to address to a similar-looking email so he never sees replies asking what's up. (Looks like in this case it's the same).

Hope to hear from John on this soon.

[Haynesarama]

I've just received the email too.

Here it is in full

Just hoping this email reaches you...Well,i'm sorry for this emergency and for not informing you about my urgent trip to  London,United Kingdom but I just have to let you know my present predicament. Everything was fine until I was attacked on my way back to the hotel, I wasn't hurt but I lost my money, bank cards, mobile phone and my bag in the course of this attack....I immediately contacted my bank in order to block my cards and also made a report at the nearest police station. I've been to  the embassy and they are helping me with my documentation so i can fly out but I'm urgently in need of some help from you to pay up my hotel bills and my flight ticket back home...My return flight back home is scheduled to leave in few hours from now...Now am freaked out....Please i need your help..

Hope to read from you soon.

Thanks and Regards.

Is anybody able to let him know about this?

Cheers Michael

[Paul Marossy]

That happened to my wife about six months ago. Someone got into her hotmail account and all the contacts got sent an email about "help me, I'm stuck in England on a short vacation, got mugged, please wire me money". Do people really fall for these things?!?!

[BoxOfSnoo]

Send it out to enough people and probably.

I've heard of some where they also get into the guy's Facebook account and use details about them in the email to make it seem more legit.

[Paul Marossy]

This is the dark side of technology. 

[joegagan]

hotmail is F-d. i  do not use the account but keep it open because i am trying to preserve the data from 98- 07. i got hit about 8 days ago, the only link to me thru john was paypal, but anything is possible with these a holes.  john and i converse in gmail, but i believe these accounts are isolated?

[Mich P]

"Just hoping this email reaches you...Well,i'm sorry for this emergency and for not informing you about my urgent trip to  London,United Kingdom but I just have to let you know my present predicament. Everything was fine until I was attacked on my way back to the hotel, I wasn't hurt but I lost my money, bank cards, mobile phone and my bag in the course of this attack....I immediately contacted my bank in order to block my cards and also made a report at the nearest police station. I've been to  the embassy and they are helping me with my documentation so i can fly out but I'm urgently in need of some help from you to pay up my hotel bills and my flight ticket back home...My return flight back home is scheduled to leave in few hours from now...Now am freaked out....Please i need your help..

Hope to read from you soon.

Thanks and Regards.

Please take a look at my website to see my FX Pedals and Amps.
www.basicaudio.net"

Got it to !
Mich P.

[Paul Marossy]

I guess this sort of scam is very common. That's what I have heard anyway.

[arielfx]

I got the email as well, but instead of just ignoring it I thought to try and find out a few details about who is behind this. Maybe this information will be of help to someone (although not too much gained so far).

Here is my answer to the 1st email:
Hello John!
That is just terrible!!! How are you doing? What happened?
Sure I'll help you out man just give me all your details and how much
you need! Also, can you give me a phone number where I can reach you
and call you so we can talk about this over the phone as needed?

Response:
Glad you replied,
Please i need you to loan me about $1,550USD so i can make arrangements
to sort my bills and return back home.I will refund the money back to
you as soon as i get home.You can have the money wired to me via western
union,all you need is my name and location.
Here is the info you need to wire the cash to me via western union:
Receivers Name: John Lyons
Location: 44 Golders Green Road, London, NW11 8EL United Kingdom
Get back to me with the Confirmation Number(MTCN) and other western
union transfer details used to send the money as soon as you are done
with the money transfer....Thank you.

My answer:
Not a problem!
Tomorrow morning I'll go to the post office, I think they have western
union there. Any chance you have a phone number of the hotel you are
staying in? Is the address you gave me of your hotel? In case they ask
at the post office

Last email:
Ok...The address i gave to you is a western union office address very close to where i am..I really wish i could give you a call but i am sorry i cant do that now because the hotel is experiencing some technical difficulties so all facilities are down at the moment and i have no access to a phone...I am using the computer in a library few blocks away from the hotel to email you...I would need us my passport to pick up the money here...Get back to me with the Confirmation Number(MTCN) and other western union transfer details used to send the money as soon as you are done with the money transfer....Thank you.

I ran a short google search on that address and this came up: http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1170/42546.php. Who thought they also deal with western union?!?  Tried google earth as well no western union there (to my surprise).

[Tony Forestiere]

I got a similar email from my Dad's HotMail account about a year ago. The salutation "Trusted Friend" and closing "Your friend, Frank" set off my suspicions. I called his "stolen" cell phone, and he answered. I asked hime where he was, and he replied: "You can bet your A$$ I'm not in London!"

[Paul Marossy]

I got a similar email from my Dad's HotMail account about a year ago. The salutation "Trusted Friend" and closing "Your friend, Frank" set off my suspicions. I called his "stolen" cell phone, and he answered. I asked hime where he was, and he replied: "You can bet your A$$ I'm not in London!"

[deadastronaut]

@arielfx:  tell him great news, ive been in touch with dave so theres no need for money transfers, as dave is only 5 minutes away.... he said he'll meet you at golders green police station

where he now works  he's got the cash there already waiting for you ok........then see what he says....

[J0K3RX]

@arielfx:  tell him great news, ive been in touch with dave so theres no need for money transfers, as dave is only 5 minutes away.... he said he'll meet you at golders green police station

where he now works  he's got the cash there already waiting for you ok........then see what he says....

[arielfx]

LOL !!!
I just emailed him something like the suggested format above. I wonder if he'll reply. What's up with John though? How come he is not signing in the forum or anything?

[dthurstan]

I got the email as well, but instead of just ignoring it I thought to try and find out a few details about who is behind this. Maybe this information will be of help to someone (although not too much gained so far).

Here is my answer to the 1st email:
Hello John!
That is just terrible!!! How are you doing? What happened?
Sure I'll help you out man just give me all your details and how much
you need! Also, can you give me a phone number where I can reach you
and call you so we can talk about this over the phone as needed?

Response:
Glad you replied,
Please i need you to loan me about $1,550USD so i can make arrangements
to sort my bills and return back home.I will refund the money back to
you as soon as i get home.You can have the money wired to me via western
union,all you need is my name and location.
Here is the info you need to wire the cash to me via western union:
Receivers Name: John Lyons
Location: 44 Golders Green Road, London, NW11 8EL United Kingdom
Get back to me with the Confirmation Number(MTCN) and other western
union transfer details used to send the money as soon as you are done
with the money transfer....Thank you.

My answer:
Not a problem!
Tomorrow morning I'll go to the post office, I think they have western
union there. Any chance you have a phone number of the hotel you are
staying in? Is the address you gave me of your hotel? In case they ask
at the post office

Last email:
Ok...The address i gave to you is a western union office address very close to where i am..I really wish i could give you a call but i am sorry i cant do that now because the hotel is experiencing some technical difficulties so all facilities are down at the moment and i have no access to a phone...I am using the computer in a library few blocks away from the hotel to email you...I would need us my passport to pick up the money here...Get back to me with the Confirmation Number(MTCN) and other western union transfer details used to send the money as soon as you are done with the money transfer....Thank you.

I ran a short google search on that address and this came up: http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1170/42546.php. Who thought they also deal with western union?!?  Tried google earth as well no western union there (to my surprise).

This exchange reminded me of something I heard on radio which sounded quite funny. This guy wrote a book "Delete This At Your Peril - One Man's Fearless Exchanges With The Internet".

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2007/11/16/how-one-man-beat-the-internet-scammers-86908-20115299/

[deadastronaut]

LOL !!!
I just emailed him something like the suggested format above. I wonder if he'll reply.

excellent!..

[arielfx]

i've sent this:
great news!!!
i've been in touch with dave schumacher so there's no need for money transfers, as dave is only 5 minutes away.... he said he'll meet you at golders green police station where he now works. he's got the cash on him and he is at the station today until 5pm so you could meet him there. he said you can ask the receptionist to call him.

small world huh?!?
let me know how it went and say hi for me!

got this answer:
Please i dont want to meet anyone here...Kindly head out to the western union and wire the money as soon as you can..Keep me posted.

and sent this:
but dave said that he also got the same email you've sent me but only had a chance to read it yesterday at night. you should really try to catch him at the police station he is expecting you...

[deadastronaut]

dave schumacer...

excellent... ' no i dont want to meet him ha ha ha i @#$%ing bet he dont.....hilarious...

brilliant...

[mnordbye]

Got the email too. I love the way scammers answer if you try to communicate with them. Makes for lots of stand-up material!

Magnus