Weird Facebook chat with friend...

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have had a bizarre interaction with a friend of mine--but it seems quite out of character which makes me suspect whether or not it is her.

Here's the message:

hey

1:25pmLisa

hey, what's up?

1:27pmJill
am not too good lisa

1:28pmLisa
What's wrong?

Wonder if my day is worse than yours

1:29pmJill
am stranded in London

1:29pmLisa
well---I think I'd rather be stranded in London. Weather? Delta?

1:29pmJill
got robbed last night at a gun point, all cash on me and credit card including mobile phone were stolen

1:30pmLisa
OMG!!!!!

Okay--you win. That's just horrifying.

Did they leave as soon as you gave them your stuff?

Passport?

1:30pmJill
its was a brutal experience

1:30pmLisa
OY OY OY

1:30pmJill
i still have my passport with me

all i need is a favour from you?

1:30pmLisa
Where'd it happen?

Sure--what do you need. I will do what I can

1:31pmJill
i just need you to loan me some cash to sort out the hotel bills were i am right now

will return it back when i get back home tomorrow

1:31pmLisa
That's a toughie

1:31pmJill
cause my return flight leave in few hours

1:32pmLisa
Have you spoken with your husband?

1:32pmJill
he is here with me

and he is hurt on his head

and the shock is really affecting him

1:33pmLisa
Where's your children?

1:33pmJill
they are here with me

1:36pmJill is offline.

Now a few things are odd---my friend is not a drama queen, she's a very proper person and I wouldn't question her. But this seems out of character and I certainly would not be her first point of contact in an emergency by a long shot.

I think someone is fishing in her account.

Thoughts?

I called her house but there is no answer--but if she is working and her husband is working, that would make sense.

I hate to have doubted a friend--but who facebooks in an emergency to get cash????

I was trying to think of other--probing questions and they were offline once I stopped chatting. Just in case it was her--I didn't want to be mean, you know?

She's a flight attendant and it being the start of the school year--I was surprised in the chat for her to say that everyone was with her. I just looked at her page and she posts infrequently and I do believe I saw her in church this past Monday.

I've only traveled internationally once--and thing i would do in a brutal attack is facebook a friend for assistance.

(and we didn't use our cell phones b/c at the time we didn't have international calling on them.)

Very odd.

 

[Kim&Chris]

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SCAM!!!! Someone definitely hijacked your friend's account and is trying to scam $ from her friends. DON'T fall for it!

Would she spell favor as "favour"???

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

She came back--and yes sadly, what I say is true--but how she responds...is not how Jill would converse.

1:41pmJill
are you still there Lisa

1:42pmLisa

yep


you disapearred

1:43pmJill
the network

my return flight leave in few hours now

i need you to loan me some cash will pay you back when i get back home tomorrow

1:44pmLisa
My husband doens't get paid until tomorrow and I'm in the middle of a miscarriage at the moment (quite literally).

1:44pmJill
omg

so you mean you cant be able to raise any amount for me?
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Also--her last facebook wall post is on August 6--I'm so puzzled!

Who wants to doubt a friend?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SCAM!!!! Someone definitely hijacked your friend's account and is trying to scam $ from her friends. DON'T fall for it!

Would she spell favor as "favour"???

I didn't notice that.

How does someone get their account hijacked?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Lisa
how much do you need?

1:46pmJill
i need just $450

will pay you back when i get back home tomorrow

1:48pmLisa
That's a lot of money in a few hours. What time is your flight?

1:49pmJill
just get it wired to my name Jill Flatley

will cash it here with my passport

1:49pmLisa
I'll have to ask my husband.

1:49pmJill
ok

1:50pmLisa
He's in a meeting though. Not sure I can get him to pick up phone.

Have you tried contacting anyone else?
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Must have been some fancy hotel room.

It is not normal to ask someone to "raise" money. lol

 

[Kim&Chris]

I didn't notice that.

How does someone get their account hijacked?

Not sure, but I would not continue the conversation if I were you. Does she have any family you can call to confirm?

My friend's FB account was hijacked a few months ago, and the "hijacker" sent viruses to all friends thru a link entitled "family vacation video".

 

[disneygirl_wdw]

I would be careful. There was a news article stating exactly the same thing and being a scam same thing through facebook. They were traveling internationally and were mugged needed money for hotel and such. People sent them money and such and it turned out nothing had happend and the people who sent him money couldn't get it back. I would try to talk to her directly to find out if this is the case. I know my friends have had their accounts hacked and they are computer people. It is fairly easy. That's why it is good to have seperate passwords to prevent hacking.

 

[cinmell]

A few months back I read about people receiving the same kinds of messages from their "friends." Their "friends" would say they were robbed blah blah blah and request money. It turned out it wasn't the real friends asking for money, it was a scam, the accounts had been hacked. Is there another way you can contact your friend (other than fb) to let her know what's going on with her account?

 

[DVCLiz]

This is definitely a scam - if this had really happened to your friend she would be able to contact her employer and get money to get back home. DON'T respond anymore.

 

[Mom2Nick]

You best bet is to ask a trick question. If the poster has a brother named Steve ask her if she's tried contacting her brother John for help and see what they say.

Also most people I know say cell phone not mobile phone...

 

[Arielle22]

That sounds like a variation of the "grandparents scam" that has hit grandparents in my state.

Someone calls and says they are the grandchild and something awful happened and they were arrested (usually out of country). They need money to clear the charge and come home. Someone else gets on the line and says they are the police and gives instructions on where to wire the money.

Another version is the grandchild is being held hostage. A couple of times, employees at the wire transfer sites have picked up on the scam and stopped the grandparent before the money was sent.

OP, would your friend (or anyone) actually FB while having a miscarriage?

Not to mention if your friend explained it to the credit card company when she called to cancel the account, I am sure she could have gotten a new card sent to her.

That sounds like a way to put the guilt on you so you cough up money.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I've tried calling her cell phone and it went straight to voice mail--which it would do if she is working since she is a flight attendant.


I just closed out of facebook--I asked if there was anyone I could call and she said she didn't want anyone to know until she got home. This is quite disturbing.

But I will risk losing a friend as this seems a hoax.

She's a private individual and I would NOT be her first POC.

Her husband is in a ministry with me so I am trying to track him down via the contacts that I have to do that. (his number on the phone list is invalid).

Quite disturbing--I pray it is a hoax b/c if it isn't--it's just plain rude the way she is acting and that is quite unlike her.

 

[disneygirl_wdw]

here is a reference to the article I was talking about if it will let me post it http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/02/know-your-friends-beware-the-latest-facebook-scam/

 

[scrapquilter]

I've heard the same scam before. Did a little googling, and found the same thing:
http://www.marketersstudio.com/2009...t-gunpoint-needs-cash-from-western-union.html

Its not really your friend.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

OP, would your friend (or anyone) actually FB while having a miscarriage?

I'm in process of a miscarriage and yes I am all over the internet to pass the time.

I mentioned it in the chat to get a reaction and the reaction I got was not what I would expect from her.

It makes me feel better that this is a scam, but I'm still trying to get a hold of her or her husband to let her know.

She also wouldn't start a conversation with "hey".

 

[bumbershoot]

Total scam, NOT your friend. If you have other ways to contact her, contact her and tell her about it. Because this scammer isn't just emailing YOU, they're emailing others. And others might not have the Dis to tell you "it's not your friend".

 

[keenercam]

This is a well-known scam. My friend who is an actress said to the scammer "I'll be glad to help but I need you to tell me my the name you knew me by when we met. I'm sure you understand I have to be very careful." and the scammer flipped out on her and then quieted down and guessed the name -- wrong.

Lisa, do NOT fall for this. I am so sorry you are going through this worrying about your friend. And I am really sorry for you what you are going through IRL, too.

 

[tw1nsmom]

If she goes to church with you I would talk to your minister. He/She might have more contact info (work numbers) than you do. Don't send any money until you've confirmed through other sources this is legit. It truly sounds like a scam.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

OP, would your friend (or anyone) actually FB while having a miscarriage?

It was the OP who stated she was having a miscarriage (which I really hope is not true...if it is, ) in the FB message.
It definitely sounds like a scam to me, though.

 

[Darsa]

Oh my gosh, that absolutely has SCAM written all over it. It sounds JUST like the others I've seen in context, and then there's also the short, terse responses to you; I can't imagine a friend would speak to you like that... Please be careful!