by Lisa C.
Member since:
September 20, 2008

Scary Stuff!

February 04, 2009 06:39 PM UTC
views: 0 | comments: 30

Recently I've been getting bombarded by Nigerian email scams.  It seems like for the past week or so I've been getting two a day.

I was cooking dinner tonight when I got a phone call from my bank.  They said they had to verify some recent account activity.  It turns out that someone IN NIGERIA! Had successfully logged into my checking and savings accounts!!!  They didn't try to take out any money, but the fact that they logged in alerted the bank's security monitoring.  Thank goodness my bank caught it and they shut down my accounts.  I have to go in tomorrow and get new accounts issued.  What a nightmare.

The thing that makes me nervous is that who knows what other accounts they have access to.  I'm freaked out.  I ran my virus scanner on both computers and they came up clean.  I know I need to change all of my passwords, but I'm afraid that if they are logging my key strokes it won't do any good.

Has anyone ever had this happen?  What should I do?

Comments: 30

j - Frugal Mom - r. Feb 4, 2009, 6:42pm UTC
Wow, that really is scary Lisa. I have never tried this, but it sure sounds like something iffy is going on. You really are lucky that your bank caught it, especially this early. Good luck with everything!
C C. Feb 4, 2009, 6:45pm UTC
i am glad your bank caught it
R B Feb 4, 2009, 6:56pm UTC
Thank your bank again. Delete those mails. My computer is set to read any mail, without opening it. Some are clever and tricky. It's not a virus, maybe you want to consider scanning with free 'spyware' software. Why can't they just send us all that extra money without the hassle?
Solskin Iam Feb 4, 2009, 7:02pm UTC
wow......i think i need to run my spyware killer.....
Ryan Reid Feb 4, 2009, 7:03pm UTC
i started responding to these with threats and just letting off steam on them. i know they dont read any incoming mail (if they even can read english, thier e-mails kinda say otherwise)
Ryan Reid Feb 4, 2009, 7:05pm UTC
go to a different computer (a friend or something) and change your pw there, that might help. or see if the bank can do it for you. then, go to nigeria with an AK and....no just kidding
Teresa A. Feb 4, 2009, 7:07pm UTC
What a pain... at least you aren't out any money.
Lisa C. Feb 4, 2009, 7:12pm UTC
I like your idea Ryan, LOL! My husband is going to change most of them tomorrow at work. What a pain is right Teresa.
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Feb 4, 2009, 7:15pm UTC
This is horrible.
Elizabeth B. Feb 4, 2009, 7:32pm UTC
That is horrible, thank god you where not financially damaged with that~
Jen G. Feb 4, 2009, 8:22pm UTC
Sorry to hear about that Lisa but glad the bank caught it. I wonder if you should notify your credit card companies. Just as a precaution.
Kay M Feb 4, 2009, 8:36pm UTC
That is really scary. I'm glad your bank alerted you.
Laurie R. Feb 4, 2009, 9:15pm UTC
I have gotten them but no one has accessed our accounts that I know of. I watch for activity on line but I don't know if I would be able to tell from there. Hopefully the bank would catch it. They don't want mine though as they wouldn't get much. It is so good that your bank caught it.
Sandy M. Feb 4, 2009, 10:04pm UTC
that is scary. I am glad your bank caught it so quick.
Lisa C. Feb 4, 2009, 10:08pm UTC
Whew! I spent the whole evening scanning my computers with everything I could think of. I scanned with Norton, AVG, SpyBot and Symantec and they all came up clear. Laurie there's not much in my account either, LOL!
Gene P. Feb 5, 2009, 12:31am UTC
Thank you for posting your content to the group Whatever!
Austin Cushing Feb 5, 2009, 2:26pm UTC
This comment is to let you know that this content has reached at least ten comments, and as such has been removed from Comment Speedway! Congratulations!
G.M. Jackson Feb 5, 2009, 8:26pm UTC
I use Norton's phishing protection. It puts in your password when you log on, so you don't have to type it. Keyloggers can't get it that way. Also, check your system32 folder and other folders manually and see if you can spot any programs or text files that are logging your typing. I hired Norton to find and eliminate a keylog program hiding in my computer. Cost me $100 but it was worth it. My latest Norton protection has so far prevented further intrusions in my computer. A rule of thumb: don't click on any emails you suspect are spam. That's how the keylog programs are downloaded into your computer. The email itself is just a ruse.
G.M. Jackson Feb 5, 2009, 8:35pm UTC
I also use a device attached to my key chain that issues me a new passcode each time I log into my bank account. Once I log in, the passcode changes, so a keylogger won't have any benefit stealing your passcode. Ask your bank if they have a device like that. My bank issued mine free of charge.
Lisa C. Feb 5, 2009, 9:32pm UTC
Gary,
Thanks for the info! My husband and I were actually considering purchasing something along the lines of Norton, we currently use AVG. I didn't know that it has phishing protection though so that might be the one we buy. I gladly would've given $100 not to have to spend 2 hrs in the bank today and now countless hours changing my auto bill pay accounts, passwords, etc. Thanks again!
C C. Feb 5, 2009, 9:42pm UTC
thanks for posting to commentsneeded.gather.com
Sandy C. Feb 22, 2009, 1:15pm UTC
Stopping by to say hello
Marsha C. Mar 10, 2009, 1:08pm UTC
when I first got together with my ex boyfriend he had gotten involved in some Nigeria stuff. Merchandise was being delivered to his house like crazy!! He called the companies and was able to return some of it....most the complanies said it was paid for and the keep it. I then sold most of it on ebay...t-shirts, watches, jeans, body lotion, the list went on and on.
Nora D. Mar 10, 2009, 1:14pm UTC
Oh my gosh, I get tons and tons of those stupid e-mails from Nigeria,.......probably like 30 to 40 a day.....I'm not kidding! Have to continually clean out my spam box, as it's always full........wish those idiots would quit sending all this crap.......they should realize Americans are on to their stupid schemes....it really gets old fast.
Tracey L. Mar 10, 2009, 1:58pm UTC
Not any experience like that, but I did have someone from another state with my same name and different middle initial call me and tell me that she had all of my information from her credit check. She was trying to buy a house and they were denying it because of all of her current credit (which was my student loans). She read off my address, phone number, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, drivers license number, everything. Someone on her end had messed up something and it pulled up my name as her "alias". I put a fraud alert on my credit and hoped for the best. Nothing so far but we still keep checking.
Nora C. Mar 10, 2009, 4:33pm UTC
If you haven' already you might want to contact the credit bureaus and have a fraud alert placed on your files. It's free, and it keeps anyone from opening anything new without going through extra security procedures to verify your identity. It can be a hassle when you actually are trying to open such an account, but well worth it for the peace of mind.
Amy just hangin' out M. Mar 10, 2009, 6:59pm UTC
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Netty B. Mar 10, 2009, 9:46pm UTC
wow that is so scary!
Netty B. Mar 10, 2009, 9:46pm UTC
Thanks for posting to ~3,000 Here We Come!~
This is to let you know that your content has reached 25 comments & will be removed from the group page...

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Dana W. Mar 13, 2009, 9:26am UTC
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