Q. My e-mail account was hacked! Someone e-mailed my contacts saying I am stuck in Nigeria or Nicaragua. The hacker asked them to send money. I only use my computer recreationally. I use it to shop, do research and the like. What should I do? Will my accounts on other sites be affected, too? Please help! —Edith in South Bend, IN, listening on WSBT 960 AM
A. I wrote about this scam not too long ago, Edith. I’m sorry to hear that you’ve fallen victim to it. I only hope that none of your contacts sent these criminals money. Anyone who isn’t familiar with the scam should read my tip.
A compromised e-mail account doesn’t mean your other accounts have been compromised. But I would assume the worst and take immediate action.
The person who hacked your account is probably in Nigeria. That’s where most scams like this originate. So, you have to wonder how the hacker got your log-in information.
The hacker doesn’t know you. So, he probably didn’t guess your password. For the same reason, your password probably wasn’t reset.
You could have been tricked by a phishing e-mail. Or, in a worst-case scenario, you have a keylogger on your machine. Keyloggers record your keystrokes. Some even take screen shots.
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