http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2205806tibbir (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-28-11 09:25 PM
Original message
How do I report the hijacking of my email that led to a theft?
A couple of months ago my email account was hijacked. My password was changed by the jerk so I had to answer my secret questions I'd set up and change my email password to a more difficult one, as per the coaching of AT&T technical support. Unfortunately, they didn't think to advise me to also change my secret questions (and it didn't occur to me either), so the same person answered my secret questions last week and hijacked my email account again. This time he/she sent an email in my name to most of my contacts saying that I was stranded in London and needed funds to get home, eat, etc. Everyone understood immediately that this was a hoax except for one 80-something year old client of mine. I found out the next day that she wired via Western Union almost $2,000 to this creep. In fact, she almost wired an additional $2,000 but was advised by Western Union that the request was fraudulent the second time. I feel terrible about her loss - I'm going to prepare her returns without charge for the next few years to put her back whole again. I hate losing the $2,000 but I can't stand the idea of her being swindled by anything that is associated with me, even to this extent.
All that to say, her husband wants me to notify our local police and file a report that my email was hijacked. I don't mind doing this but I can't see them being even vaguely interested. Could someone let me know who I should contact or if it's futile at this stage to do anything.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Not one DUmbass has noticed the obvious problems with this little story.
How did the hacker find out the answers to the secret questions?
Having to do that to change it again and no one realized they knew them to have done that in the first place?
A tax preparer that doesn`t know about Internet security?
Free returns prepared for an 80 year old to recoup $2000.00,how much do you charge?
My guess is they scammed the old lady out of 2 grand and is testing a cover story.
tibbir (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-28-11 10:28 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. I just reported the incident to the FBI and will file a report with the police tomorrow morning
You're right. It won't do anything to get the money back to them (it's gonna take several no-pay tax returns to take care of that), but it may help them get some closure.
Why not just give the old lady back the money or start paying it back?
