When I arrived at school and checked my e-mail I was surprised to learn that the parents of one of my students were stranded in Manila and needed me to send them money ASAP so they could get home. Why was I suspicious?
First, I had seen the parent on Friday and the e-mail was dated on Saturday. Not being geographically challenged and having done more traveling than LA to Las Vegas, it seemed unlikely that she could have gotten to Manila in time to send the message.
Second, the lady who supposedly sent the message is pretty sharp. The e-mail said that she had lost her money and credit cards because the airlines had lost her luggage. How many people who can figure out which bathroom to use would put their money and credit cards in their check-in luggage?
So it seems the Prince of Nigeria that had a fortune for us has moved to Manila, or Virginia, which is where she told me the hacker had been traced to.
If you get such an e-mail and are tempted, I would ask you to send me the money instead and trust me to forward it to them.
homo unius libri
At least it's entertaining.
ReplyDeleteWhat? No contributions for me to forward? Don't you trust me?
DeleteGrace and peace