JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Brian's email account hacked.

In case anyone talks to Brian, inform him his email account is being spoofed to send the typical "I'm stuck in a foreign country" scam emails? I'd normally consider it a spoofed sender, but the email headers indicate it really did come from his AOL account. Thanks

Thanks, GaryMoon. One post with no contact info, how did you ever get an email from Brian?

I got a "spoof" email from Brian this morning, but it was a "look at this site..." email and it was from a yahoo account. Not the same as Brian's.

Yeah, I had a "spoof" email sent to another member on this site. Also from an email account that was not mine. Don't send messages to Brian over this, this thread could also be a spoof. It's easy to mine names from this website, create a phony free account, then send things to other members on this site. Someone with an ax to grind might try something like that.

Hey Mike,

I have 2 accunts at JPF, one that I haven't used in years. THAT one just had an e-mail from Brian Whitney(No "Austin" was the first clue) from an airport in Malaysia.

I don't know how these hackers work, yeah, there's a scam going on.

Midnite

I think it's an old troll making mischief.

Just got it too!

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"Hello,

Apologies for having to reach out to you like this, I made a trip early to Malaysia for a program and had my bag stolen from me with my passport and credit cards in it. The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly without my passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle hotel bills. Unfortunately for me, I can't have access to funds without my credit card, I've made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me some quick funds that I can give back as soon as I get in. I really need to be on the next available flight.

I will be waiting to read from you soonest because you can only reach me via email.

Brian."

Actually, it truly would be one of many Asian or European based people who make about pennies a day hacking into email accounts. It's actually a whole cottage industry. (I'm a computer security guy with about 20 years experience, so I just know these things...) Rather than hack with code, they employ armies of low wage workers to try well known passwords to break into accounts, and when they do, they they scroll through the mail account looking for what bank you belong to, what credit cards you use, and then try that same password on those sites, and often they are successful. (That's one good reason not to use the same password on all of your accounts!)
Sometimes their goal includes sending spam or scam emails out to the entire address list.

Mike Dunbar, I'm actually a JPF member as far back as 2003 or so. I hosted Brian for a night up in Albany NY. But, I haven't been on the site in ages, couldn't retrieve my info, so created a new account so I could send a message. What kind of mischief would I be creating by warning someone of scam emails being sent from his account?? Besides, that my email address is in his address book would indicate that I know Brian. Thanks for your caution, however.

Yes,
I also received the E-Mail from Brian. He is stuck in Malasia so it says. I smelled scam as soon as I saw the E-Mail.

Thanks for clearing that up Gary!! There's been one, or two, not nice people stirring up trouble here layel, so we're all a little gun-shy of new oflks wiht very few Posts.

Thanks, SO MUCH, for both your initial warning and your alleviatinbg our fears regarding who you are!

Best

Midnite

Thanks, Gary, Brian's being contacted.

Okay, thanks to you also.
~G!

I got the same thing as Iggy and Ray, and it was from his AOL account, BUT suspecting a scam I wrote back,,,,"SURE, be happy to help. Just call me on the number you've had for a long time and we'll discuss the details!...that should stop such emails coming to me. Haha. I also wrote Brian in PM here, and to his facebook private message option. If we can find out WHO is doing this shitt, we should find out if there is legal action to take, or at least to send the "bigs" (Iggy and Marnie) after him to beat the shitt out of em! LOL

Here is what I got in the scam email

"Hello,

Apologies for having to reach out to you like this, I made a trip early to Malaysia for a program and had my bag stolen from me with my passport and credit cards in it. The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly without my passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle hotel bills. Unfortunately for me, I can't have access to funds without my credit card, I've made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me some quick funds that I can give back as soon as I get in. I really need to be on the next available flight.

I will be waiting to read from you soonest because you can only reach me via email.

Brian".

And, as Iggy has posted all the info,,,,how come AOL and HOST BABT deemed it to be authentic? How can that happen if it isn't???

Those two services need to update their info and ways of checking what is hacked or not. Damn geeks can make a phone SMART, but can't determine a hacked address or not???!!!! There needs to be a new class put in at MIT then!

Hey Geek who hacked Brain's account: Have some manballs and do something good with your geeky brain! Maybe you'll make some "earned" and proper money, so you don't have to get your JOLLY's OFF just when snickering when you send such scam emails.

Hi Gang,

No it is not real. It's an AOL hack of one account, not the JPF account nor the message boards or anything. Thank you all for letting me know. As you can imagine I have receive a couple hundred emails about it. I don't keep an address book on AOL.. but AOL keeps track of anyone who has sent ME an email and that is what got hacked. None of my other AOL accounts were affected which proves it's AOL's issue, not mine.

Sorry for any trouble, but there's nothing I could do about it. Sadly many other friends and JPF members have gotten hit by the same thing over the years. It's annoying!

Brian

Hi Brian, Evidently, someone knows that you travel, and that you are involved in the music business, and that you start off a message by typing "Hi Folks", or "Hi Gang". So I can't help but believe that a disgruntled troll, who is supposed to be banned, and keeps coming back, and keeps getting caught, and knows how you type, is involved. It could be something more sophisticated, but right now it looks like one of our old friends.

I got the e-mail today and almost believed it because I didn't look twice. But I did wonder why they didn't specify how to send the money.

Evidently they don't like me

[i]Oh, don't be sad John, I like you! If it makes you feel any better, how's about you just send me whatever money you would've sent to Brian in Malaysia? [/i

As to a troll, I dunno. I've received half a dozen similarly worded e-mails over the years. It's usually just hackers, like what Gary described, not a personal vendetta.

Midnite

Soonest ? SOONEST ? Oh please.... the man's a damn songwriter for God's sake !

cheers, niteshift

It's a very old hack/scam. Has nothing to do with me. I have gotten them from others for several years now, worded the same. Does suck that many people have been following my travel photos on Facebook so they had more reason to believe it. Criminals are scum... nothing new about it.

Brian

There is probably a song in it...

Joe

Yep.. got a similar attack about 7 years ago.

God Bless Roy and Helen

Ok, so what if we really want to contact Brian via email? Is it ok? This scam implies that emails to Brian will be intercepted. If not, how does the scam work? Or is it just mischief-making?


Btw, well done to Gmail for flagging this as potential spam - Brian's emails normally get through without so many bells and whistles

I got that, too.....

This seems like as good a time as any to also remind FOlks to NEVER click on a link on an e-mail to you that has no personal note attached that PROVES!! the sender knows you.

I thought everyone was aware of THAT scam by now, but a little ol' lady from church fell for it the other day.


Midnite

This is why I never download files people send or click links.. it always upsets people but this is the danger.

Okay, for the record, this is NOT my fault. AOL said it was a problem on their end. Sadly, they say it happens with them having millions of users and there being very clever hackers around the world. They have twice restored my email and account now. The last time in these jerks also deleted all my files, including emails from my late father I had in my box. They fortunately can restore those for me (I figured I was screwed, but they say it will be fixed within 24 hours). My password had nothing to do with me or my life.. it was a random set of numbers and letters... I am worried that they have all my saved emails which is a problem.. but nothing I can do.

Fortunately it had no connection to JPF or our email list. It's just my civilian account (jpnotes is the official JPF account and is stored with a separate hosting company).

I will say this folks, assume anything you put in an email will be made public. I write them all knowing it could be so I am careful what I say and how I say it.

Sorry for the annoyance.. hopefully I will be able to reach people going forward.

Brian

Brian, does this mean the Nigerian Road Trip is cancelled?

-Jeff

Deer Joss,

I gone to Nigeria as the agvance scoot for the rood trip. Sadly, I gets mugged. Please send all your money to...

I got one too..Much as I luv, ya' Brian, I'm NOT bailing you out of the Malasian jail!

It happened to me last month.................

Yep, I've had 2 or 3 E mails lately purported to be from people I correspond with regularly but they addressed me in a way these people never would so I deleted them. On checking with the folks in quaestion---nope, they never sent it. I wonder why the hackers always seem to be a little better or ahead of the big internet companies. Maybe they should hire someo f them.

I've heard of a few cases where they did just that

Hackers are ahead of everyone. They have entire cities in China where from Cradle to Grave kids grow up learning about and doing only 1 thing in their lives: Hacking.. into everything... that is where the next world war will start and be finished.. they break into our Pentagon and other such secure systems daily... we can't keep up nor can anyone else. Russia does it to, but it's more crime oriented. China does it as a large part of the Military build up. No one is EVER safe and since most money systems are simply numerical transfers over the net from one account to another, one big attack could essentially steal or simply delete all money world wide at once throwing the world into chaos and western societies into the worst shape since most are now welfare societies and when those checks stop coming people will rise up and the Red Chinese and their allies will do what they want. The Googles of the world are the real world powers now and are the only entities that can keep up with China, the US Government can't. And Google is a multinational who does not remotely have the broader American people in their interest... Perhaps that is why they pay low single digit taxes.. our government fears pissing them off.

So just try to enjoy life and stop worrying as much about it. There's not much anyone can do. If you do anything on line, assume the entire world can see it plain as day because they can and if given a reason or need, they will.

Brian

There are many that have nothing more to do.

There is a more prevailing group of "hactivists" called "Anonymous"
who have already penetrated the US DOJ sites and promise to do more..just be weary....these folks are for real...

There will always be evil in the world. They think they're supporting their causes, but they don't care who gets hurt while they do it. And the foreign hackers are out to hurt as many people as possible.

in2piano,

They're not only for real, I think most of them ARE the government and these break ins are one faction messing with others. DOJ wants more money? Stage a break in. I don't believe much of what I read in "the media" or hear/see on Radio/TV news anymore. Much more powerful entities than regular folk have all sorts of agendas and the power to do what they want.

Just be careful out there. In a tough week where I lost two close friends and my mom (successfully) had bypass surgery, this was happening on top of it.. and it's been a nightmare. On line with AOL tech support every night for 2-6 hours and I think I might finally have things as normal as they can get, though much damage has been done like lost files and memories and important data. Ack.

Brian

FYI: Is am closing this so folks don't think it is still ongoing. As of Jan 29th, 2013 it seems right again.

Thanks for the help and concern!

Brian