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BEWARE! Someone Tried to Scam My Parents!

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage South

December 14, 2010 01:24 AM

BEWARE!

Someone Tried To Scam My Parents!

Confusion

Mom and Dad called me to come take a look at a crazy email they received from my mother's cousin.....or so it appeared! It was from her real email address but it didn't seem right to them. Here it is, exactly as written (except I did not include her full name).....

"Hope you get this on time? Sorry I didn't inform you about my trip to Spain for a program, I am presently in Madrid and am having some difficulties here because i misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel where my money and other valuable things were. presently my passport and my things are been held down by the hotel management pending when i make payment.

I need you to help me with a loan of (2,600 Euro = $3,300) to pay my hotel bills and to get myself back home. I will appreciate whatever you can afford to assist me with, I will refund the money back to you as soon as i return, let me know if you can be of any help? ASAP. I don't have a phone where i can be reached I am so confused right now. please let me know immediately

Your help is much appreciated,,

Thanks,

Peggy"

Thankfully my parents are still very sharp, but because this came from a legitimate email address they wondered if it could really be from Peggy. They called her to let her know about it and of course she was safe at home in Alabama. Now she's got to deal with the worry that her email has been hacked.

I get scammy email all the time, but my folks don't get near the volume of daily email I do, so this was new to them. They were amazed at the stories I told them of email and phone scams. I was surprised they hadn't heard about this stuff! Be sure to let your friends and family know to be careful! Everyone is a target, but the elderly can be particularly vulnerable.

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Ann Allen Birmingham AL Realtor®

Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP

205.902.4868

Keller Williams

One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150

Hoover, AL 35244

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Larry Lawfer

YourStories Realty Group - Newton, MA

"I listen for a living." It's all about you.

My in-laws got that very same email quite some time ago. Old tricks must still be working. Thank you for the reminder. Have a wonderful holiday.

Dec 14, 2010 01:30 AM

Carla Wade

Charlotte, NC

I get this same email several times a month. SPAM right away! No one is going to email you and ask for money except maybe a kid in college!!! haha Thanks for the reminder that people will try anything. :-)

Dec 14, 2010 01:32 AM

Patty Keller

AnotherME, LLC - Atlanta, GA

AnotherMe - 770-414-9393 - RE Virtual Assistant

These crooks are so creative! Maybe they should get a real job and start using their knowledge of the internet, emails and technology to do some good!! Wait... what am I talking about...they're crooks! Wishful thinking!

Dec 14, 2010 01:34 AM

Lee & Pamela St. Peter

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522 - Raleigh, NC

Making Connections to Success in Real Estate

Patty, I got a similar email from a past client ~ glad your folks ignored it!

Dec 14, 2010 02:10 AM

Cherise Selley

Selley Group Real Estate, LLC - Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado Springs Realtor

Ann,

It irks me to see this kind of scandal over the internet. And our parents are more gullible than us... g

Dec 14, 2010 03:02 AM

Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES

Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL

Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Ann, you think you know them all and then there is another new way to scam people out of their money. I guess the only way to be safe is to verify, verify, verify before letting the heart react!

Dec 14, 2010 07:12 AM

Myrl Jeffcoat

Sacramento, CA

Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Ann - That particular scam has been goin on for awhile now. I haven't seen it pop up in my email box, but know others who have.

Dec 14, 2010 09:24 AM

Mel Ahrens, MBA, Kelly Right Real Estate

Kelly Right Real Estate - Hood River, OR

Customized Choices for your Real Estate Needs

I have seen similar emails about once a month for the last several months. One came from LinkedIn, another Yahoo, another gmail; seems to be all over the place as far as the originating mail host.

Mel

Dec 14, 2010 12:27 PM

Ann Allen Hoover

RE/MAX Advantage South - Hoover, AL

CDPE SRES ASP e-PRO Realtor - Homes for Sale - AL

I get stuff like this all the time. I take for granted that everybody else does too and can recognize it as easily as I do. It really surprised me that my dad hadn't run into this before now.

Dec 14, 2010 01:10 PM

Marcy Moyer

eXp Realty of California Silicon Valley Probate, Trust, and Investment Sales - Mountain View, CA

Probate, Trust, and Investment Specialist

Great advice to warn our parents and anyone else we know who may not be so familiar with these scams.

Dec 14, 2010 02:30 PM

Nick T Pappas

Assoc. Broker ABR, CRS, SFR, e-Pro, @Homes Realty Group, Broker/Providence Property Mgmnt, LLC Huntsville AL - Huntsville, AL

Madison & Huntsville Alabama Real Estate Resource

Ann, I received an almost identical email from a woman I worked with except the email claimed she was in Cypress...pretty much the rest of it is the same. It turns out that all of her contants received the same email...of course I called and she was safe and sound in Alabama. I have heard of people actually sending money so I guess that's why this and other scams continue...people let their guard down or just don't think...

Dec 14, 2010 03:30 PM

Mary Douglas

United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - Red Feather Lakes, CO

REALTOR, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Hi Ann, it's terrible, doesn't it make you angry (more angry) when someone is trying to steal from your parents! I'm glad they called you to come take a look.

Dec 14, 2010 03:55 PM

BEWARE! Someone Tried to Scam My Parents!

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Ann Allen Hoover

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