I was Hacked and Other Stories from the Zoo

The Talbert Zoo has been pretty busy lately. School is in full swing, Chris is still travelling for work and I am finding less and less time to myself. When it really gets crazy sometimes I just want to run outside and scream, but I am sure I would attract the wrong kind of attention if I did that. Instead, I’m going to keep taking life one day at a time and pray for patience.

Image credit: by Stuart Miles freedigitalphotos.net

A couple of days ago Chris and I were both victims of scam artists. Some how someone got a hold of his credit card information and while he was down in Sacramento visiting his dad for his 70th birthday, Chris’ credit card was charged at a Walgreens in Illinois. Sounds, fishy, doesn’t it. Especially since that very same day, Chris used that card in Sacramento. The fraud charge was cancelled by the bank and he got a new card. I just can not believe how much trouble people take just to get free money. Doesn’t Obama give out enough free things? We have the Obama phone, food stamps for anyone that doesn’t want to work, and that good old ObamaCare. Don’t get me started on ObamaCare, that is a totally different post for a different day. I am thinking about voicing my opinion on ObamaCare in The Healthy Moms Magazine.

I was also hacked a couple of days ago. Fortunately everyone in my address book are intelligent enough to know that the e mail was a fake. If you received the following e-mail:

Hope you get this on time, sorry I didn’t inform you about my trip to the Ukraine for a program, I’m having some difficulties here because I misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel were my money and cellphone were kept. Presently my passport and my things are been held down by the hotel management pending when I make payment.

I need you to help me with a loan of $2,650 to pay my hotel bills and get myself back home. I’ve been to the embassy and Police, but they are not responding to the matter effectively,I’ll appreciate whatever you can afford to assist me with, I promise to refund you back your money as soon as I return, let me know if you can be of any help?. I don’t have a phone where I can be reached. I am so confused right now.

Please let me know immediately.

I will clarify a few things for you. No I was not in the Ukraine. No I did not lose my wallet and cell phone. I do not need money. On the day this e mail was sent out I was in my home just outside of Spokane, WA, USA doing laundry, and cleaning my bathroom. My wallet was safe in my purse in the closet. That afternoon I did go grocery shopping and I had my purse, wallet and cell phone with me. I am fine. I am home and do not need your money.

Apparently, this e mail was sent to all my contacts in my yahoo mail account, all my twitter followers and my friends on facebook. The lengths people will take to make an easy buck are ridiculous! I had to change my passwords for all three accounts and am super angry about the whole thing. I especially dislike the fact that my twitter followers were scammed. You see I have finally figured out this whole twitter thing and have gained 1,700 new followers in just one week. But I will not reveal my secret!

I was going to write about this strange California law that effects parents, however I learned about it on the same day I got hacked. I guess that will be saved for another post. In the meantime, be careful with your online passwords and change them often. I learned this the hard way and I don’t want you to be a victim too.