A little after 9:00 this morning, I had a flurry of texts, emails and phone calls. The gist of all of that communication was that I had been hacked.
Somehow, someway someone had hacked their way into my email. I am very careful not to click on unknown links, nor to respond to unknown emails, so I'm not sure how they managed it, but manage it they had.
Everyone in my recent address book, and anyone I had corresponded with (which includes agents, buyers, sellers, lenders, inspectors... etc...) going back to the days of the dinosaurs, received a very suspicious email or text from me informing them that I needed a favor.
Now, most people who know me know that I use the British spelling and I would ask for a "favour" (not favor), but suddenly I was barraged with calls, texts and emails asking if I had sent that email, and wondering what they could do for me.
I spent the bulk of this morning calming the waters, changing passwords on all of my relevant apps and programs (and some that were probably not relevant), and consulting with IT.
One of the calls I received was from a senior-citizen client that I had helped purchase a modest property last year. She had received the email, and had responded asking how she could help. They then asked her to go to the nearest pharmacy and purchase five $50.00 google-play gift cards, scratch the backs off and text them the numbers off the back.
When she asked the Walgreens clerk how to scratch off the backs and text the numbers... the clerk was kind enough to inform her that it was a scam, and not to do it.
She then called me to confirm. I was so touched, that this woman who I did not have a close relationship with had been willing to send me $250.00 over an email. I thanked her profusely, that she'd been willing... but am very grateful that the Walgreens clerk had kept her from losing her money.
There are bad people, and good people in the world.
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