NEW HACKER/SCAM ALERT!!

There's a hacker roaming around and I see there is a pattern. Please read for your own safety.

I was getting ready for work one morning last week. It was around 6am my time. I hear my Facebook IM pop up so I go to my computer, trying to see who was talking to me so early in the morning. It's an old coworker whom I haven't spoken to in about a year.

Molly: Hey you there?
Jane: Hey girl!
Molly: I need help. It's urgent.
Jane: Whats up?
Molly: I'm stuck in England. I got mugged last night. I need money.
Jane: Wow.
Molly: Can you send anything?
Jane: Molly, I don't have a lot of money, and really I have no way of sending it to England...
Molly: So you wouldn't help me out in this situation. Wow.
[Jane signs out]

This shocked me. I knew the situation wasn't true, but I figured either she was testing out her friends (a STUPID thing to do to anyone that early in the morning) or someone had hacked into her account. Later throughout the day, I contacted some old coworkers, John and Ruben, who still work with her just to find out she was sitting at her work desk that day. I just didn't know what to think so I just went ahead and deleted her off my friends list and tried to forget about it.

Just when I thought I'd forget the IM's, I get a text message from one of the coworkers I contacted, Ruben. He tells me this.

Ruben: "so yea my mom just told me that the dentist that she works for was hacked. someone hacked into her email and sent out all these emails. guess what the emails were saying"
Jane: "What?"
Ruben: "I'm in London, England...I need money.." !!!!
Jane: "No freaking way."
Ruben: "this hacker is everywhere apparently!!!!!!"
Jane: "Wow."
Ruben: "my mom says that the dentist believes it's cuz she gave her password out to who she thought was microsoft, so yea be careful who u give ur password to."

He then called me saying that the one of the patients or email contacts emailed whoever the person was back saying "I'm concerned" and whoever had access to the account replied back saying "Thank you for your concern" and gave information to where the money could be wired to.

I'm not sure who all has been affected, or how the hacker gets access to the Facebook accounts or email addresses but I know its happening to others as well. I'm guessing some phishing webpage.

So, please spread the word. This hacker hits you with the worst things to scam someone with in it's conversational-type scam: worry and guilt. Don't fall into the trap. Keep on the lookout and try and keep track of the email or IM conversation sent to you if you ever receive anything like this.