Not safe. The following mail was NOT sent from Ruhanie Ahmad @ Ron, the blogging former Member of Parliament. He is in the country and not in Africa, and is now unable to access his blog, mail, etc. "Someone's hacked into my mail," he told me last night.
It's the same thing that happened to another blogging Datuk [Rejal Arbee and his (false) mail] just last month.
So, who's messing with us? Are they trying to tell us that they can now hack into the system and mess with our blogs and mails?
Shivers.
We are going to lodge a report with the MCMC, for sure.-----Original Message-----
From: "ruhanie ahmad" <mayaputera@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:50:59
Subject: Please, I need your Help Urgently.
How are you doing today? I am in a hurry writing you this message, i don't have much time on the pc here, so i have to brief you my present situation which requires your urgent response. Actually, I had a trip to Nigeria for a program called "Empowering Youth to Fight Racism, HIV/AIDS, Poverty and Lack of Education, the program is taking place in three major countries in Africa which is Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria. but unfortunately for me all my money got stolen at the hotel where i lodged due to a robbery incident that happened in the hotel. I had been so restless since last night, i have been without any money i am even owing the hotel here as well, moreover the Hotel's telephone lines here got disconnected by the robbers and they are trying to get them fixed back.
I have access to only emails at the library because my mobile cant work here so i didn't bring it along, please i want you to help me with some money so that i can clear my bills and return back home. please can you send me $2000 so i can return back i would refund it back to you as soon as i get home, I am so confused right now and don't know what to do, you can have it sent through Money Gram but My passport is with the Embassy here so not sure if i can use my name to collect it now, But you can send it directly to a woman who works for Western Union, she helps people in the hotel i lodge to get money from their relatives and i would get it through her, I have already spoken to her, so will get it immediately it is sent but let me know if you can help me then i will make findings. please let me hear from you so i can collect her full name and address where you can send the money to today please, Its really urgent for me as i don't know what to do right now than to leave here soonest you send it to me and i will pay you back immediately i get home.
Thanks alot for your kindness. I will really appreciate your quick response.
Ruhanie Ahmad.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Who's hacking into our mails?
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Use strong password for blog/email account
ReplyDeletehttp://whisperingshout.blogspot.com/2007/07/good-password.html
As for the email, anybody can create emails with whatever return address they want. It's a sabotage
Rocky,
ReplyDeleteSometimes the person doesnt have to hack into the email account. They can also use a webform and fake the sender's email address.
But as in the case of your friend, it does look like it was hacked.
Bro. Sounds like the Dato's have been hit by Trojans or Worms (sort of like super-viruses). Whether or not the source is specific or this is something innocently caught off the net one can never tell.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem we have a lot of Bloggers now blogging content but not necessarily being net-heads, hence are unaware and unable to protect themselves properly with firewalls etc. Suggest this sort of support be taken up also by All-Blogs - perhaps a database of bloggers with expertise to help others, either gratis or for a fee.
And I'm sure you know I am far from naive...
i am not too sure anyone hacked into something to begin with. it sounds more like the usual nigeria scam with a twist.
ReplyDeletedidnt see the header but you should check if the email has actually been sent by the gmail account that claims to be the sender.
An NGO acquaintance in India had the same thing happen to her. She was also allegedly attending a conference in Africa - the email is almost identical. She had lost access to her email account, which had been hacked.
ReplyDeleteUsing an alphanumerical password is nowadays the bare minimum i think.
Shan
Can it be Cybertroopers?
ReplyDeleteWhat else can they not do next time?
*TypicalProgrammer*
ReplyDeleteI know for a fact you dont need to hack google to imitate an email address. Is is a joke that some of my friends are well capable of.
Hello Rocky,
ReplyDeleteDon't be alarmed, it was not a hacked job directly targeted at him. I received several emails like that too.
For anyone who uses gmail account, please make sure you logoff and clear you cache after using the account.
Check the similar story here:
http://www.falklandnews.com/public/story.cfm?get=4623&source=3
Be cool..
ReplyDeleteFor sending mail, everyone can send a mail to anyone with any name. A simple way is to change you name and email address in outlook. Then, send some mails out.
For reading mail, it needs user name and password. This is secure.
Only for a mail with PGP, we can surely say the mail is coming from the sender.
Thank u for the advice guys. And bro Ubaidah, the All-Blogs will take that up.
ReplyDeletethis definitely sounds like another nigerian scam, which has morphed into many shapes and forms. just ignore it lah. but we cant ignore real crimes with real victims like those in johor.
ReplyDeletehttp://sophiesworld-sophiesworld.blogspot.com/2007/08/malaysian-crime-story-again.html
cheers