Eric Meyer Hacked

[MeyerFittings]

Sorry if anyone here on my contacts list received an email saying that I lost my passport and wallet in the Philippines and needed money (that's the only accurate part ) to get out. I was actually travelling in France at the  time and just got back home. My emails were blocked also which added to the confusion, but my password is changed and everything is back up and running safely. Seems like this is a common occurrence in Europe but it is a new one over here in the US.

Got lots of phone messages on return  from concerned people, thanks Marylyn, Roger,  Andres, Chris etc..

 

I'll see some of you in Indy.

Cheers,

Rico 

[James M. Jones]

What was it.?.. oh yea," SAD NEWS"   ..so sad ...I got the email ..here I thought you got injured or sick and would not be filling orders ...then I read the email..  . It sounded SO convincing  ...and of course the first thing to do when in a diffrent country  and all your stuff gets stolen is go email begging  .... does anyone fall for this? my wife just had this happen some monthes ago , it's a pain in the rear . Glad your fine . I am courious though ...would it be OK to bring a craft brewed beer to a martini party? or is that just SAD NEWS...?

[Brad Dorsey]

...Seems like this is a common occurrence in Europe but it is a new one over here in the US... 

 

Not really.  I know people, myself included, who have been getting this type of e-mail for years.

[GlennYorkPA]

Sorry if anyone here on my contacts list received an email saying that I lost my passport and wallet in the Philippines and needed money (that's the only accurate part ) to get out. I was actually travelling in France at the  time and just got back home. My emails were blocked also which added to the confusion, but my password is changed and everything is back up and running safely. Seems like this is a common occurrence in Europe but it is a new one over here in the US.

Got lots of phone messages on return  from concerned people, thanks Marylyn, Roger,  Andres, Chris etc..

 

I'll see some of you in Indy.

Cheers,

Rico 

I don't exactly get it.

What is the benefit to anyone to concoct a story and send it out you your personal contacts?

Either pure petty mischief or a personal grudge? Or am I missing a bigger threat?

Glenn

[MeyerFittings]

I get scam emails all the time too but this one had my name, an email address that started out like mine and a personal note supposedly written and signed by me asking for money to get my passport back. So someone knew that we were on a trip overseas and got a hold of my password to hack my contacts list. I didn't have internet access in most places we stayed so I didn't find out till we got to Giverny and the music festival there. I only saw the sham email on one of the French cello makers I phones. My incoming emails all bounced back so I was unreachable and people were concerned that it might be true.

It said that I needed $2500 to pay my hotel bill and get back my passport and needed a loan from one of my friends. Of course no on who knows me would believe that I would stay in a $2500 hotel but it was spooky to see my name on the request. I just got my emails coming in but so far I can't determine who tried to send me messages the last several days of the trip.

[MeyerFittings]

Had a great trip though, and anybody who tells me the French aren't a friendly people will get an earful from me. I visited with Eric Fouille who is a great guy and stayed at his house. His wife Francoise is wonderful and we ate like epicures and laughed a lot. Visited a boxwood forest and I met all the folks at Bois de Harmonie and we told old pegmaking stories and drank espresso. We now call ourselves les "Chevillieurs". A little French humor there.

[Rue]

I am glad you had a good vacation. Sorry about the hack!

[Eric Fouilhe]

Rico,

I'm glad of your successful trip in our countries.

I have the same nice souvenir, at the first violin Congress in Washington 27 years ago:

 A so warm welcome from the american luthiers in 1987, while the small Bois d'Harmonie beginner came to visit your violin's world....

Eric F

[Brad Dorsey]

...So someone knew that we were on a trip overseas...

 

No.  It was sheer coincidence that you happened to be overseas when the hacker sent out e-mails purporting to be you saying you were overseas.  The hacker said you were in the Phillipines, but you were in France.  He or she had no idea where you were.

 

Search the internet for "scam email hotel passport" and you will find many sites discussing this type of scam, for example:

 

http://www.lastminutetravel.com/blog/index.php/2010/01/08/travel-scam-alert-your-friend-was-not-mugged/

[Craig Tucker]

Yes, I am getting an email addressed to me personally, claiming that I am entitled money that has been given to me, by virtue of my being such and such and so and so, all I have to do is enter some personal information in order to receive it...

 

It caught my attention the first time I got it in an email, because most of my email is strictly controlled...

But I've gotten a couple of them now, and I figure that the "spyware" or whatever it is that they are using, now has simply become more advanced and (probably) even more robotic...

It seems that such garbage is now very personalized. 

Luckily I'm very much the disbeliever - and I simply delete things that promise me the world, or whatever. 

[hendrik]

Let me guess: the money had to be sent to Western Union.

                       the e-mail probably had a few errors in spelling, grammar or capitalization.

                       the url  info is suspect - eg from Nigeria or Hungary or whatever.

 

Happened to a friend of mine. But he was traveling internationally as well at the time.

Other scam e-mails I have seen are from the "IRS", "Customs", a Bank, Postal Service, Amazon etc - they are just guessing which bank

you might have.

But neither IRS nor banks should send e-mails to begin with although my bank once e-mailed a questionnaire

which I returned unanswered with a caution not to confuse the customers. 

[MeyerFittings]

Gee Eric you don't look old enough to have been here that far back.

Susan and I were so happy to spend time with you and Francoise.

 

I get scam emails all of the time but this one got hold of my password and either they or AOL shut off my reception setting so I wouldn't get emails telling me about it. Judging from the 20 or so calls that I had on my answering machine when we arrived home. it freaked out a few others as well.

[Roger Hargrave]

Well I knew it was a scam, but just to be absolutely sure, I asked you that private question that only you and I knew the answer to. If you had gotten that right the money would have been on its way. But maybe what this does do is to tell you how many people love you enough to make the effort and that must be comforting. If I could be sure of that kind of response I might do the scam on myself, for myself and then go on a real holiday with the proceeds.  

[Christopher Jacoby]

Glad everything's fine, and ignore my voice message informing ye when you get back.

[Craig Tucker]

Well I knew it was a scam, but just to be absolutely sure, I asked you that private question that only you and I knew the answer to. If you had gotten that right the money would have been on its way.  

 

I'll have a go at this...

 

"THRUSH" ... well?

 

... as in, the old man from UNCLE series.

 

Am I right? Did I win?

Send it (the entire $ amount - cash, check, or money order) to;

Tucker Violin

The Spaceport, Slip #1

Roswell

New Mexico 88201

[Craig Tucker]

Thanks!