Scam

[Tatty]

My email account has been hacked and is telling people I'm stuck in Madrid at Conference (as if!!) and my handbag has been stolen. Please ignore it. My son is trying to sort out a new account for me. Meanwhile, as it has wiped my address book if you know I email you, could you send me your email address via private messages? Many thanks.
Mary

[madmike]

Tatty,
just clearing out my spam folder and found it....
Mike

[AndyO]

I've had 3 similar emails purporting to be from someone I know, so it must be doing the rounds

[Red Adder]

This or a similar scam has been around for at least 3 years (and is also attempted via the phone - please call foreign premium rate number to help friend).

I've two email accounts - the one easily guessed / recreated has a steady trickle of spams purporting to come from various social network sites - banks - internet providers - sellers of products of chronographic or pharmaceutical nature and Russia (!) etc all really trying to steal your account details. The less obviously named account has nothing which suggest most are generated rather than phished or stolen from other users address books. Its also a good idea not to give your account to vendors unless you have to - playing techno-dumn generally works when beyond 50.

[Tatty]

That's no problem then - I'm well passed 50

[Red Adder]

Latest spam is offering phentermine - a pharmaceutical similar to amphetamine used to help diet - looking up the pharmacology suggests a pill you certainly wouldn't want to take without appropriate medical supervision - unless you want to risk a bit of self-induced tachycardia or hyper-tension. Who buys this stuff ??

[andypat]

M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-me!