Email scam angers city man

JOHN HAWKINS/The Southland Times

HACKED OFF: Saints and Sinners event co-ordinator Blair Asplin had his email account hacked this week and an email was sent to more than 300 of his contacts asking them for money.

An email scam stating an Invercargill man was stranded in London and needed money to get home was sent to more than 300 people in his address book and some were too generous to think twice.
Saints and Sinners events co-ordinator Blair Asplin said his email account was closed down by Gmail on Tuesday informing him his account had been hacked by someone in Nigeria.
He then reactivated his account to find all his emails and contacts had been deleted. It was only after a contact in Auckland phoned to ask what was going on that he discovered the scam, he said.
The friend had received an email from Mr Asplin's email address stating he was stuck in London, had lost his passport and other belongings and needed up to $2000 to get home.
When she replied to say she was busy, she was sent details of where to send the money, he said.
She then phoned him to check to see if he was still in the country, Mr Asplin said.
He knew of one person who had paid some money to the account but had lost all his contacts so was not sure of how many others might have paid, he said.
"Some people are generous and don't think to check ... I just feel sick to the stomach about it."
An Invercargill man who did not wish to be named said he received the email but did not pick up that it was a scam.
He had paid some of the money but realised yesterday morning that something was up, he said.
"I'm bloody p***ed off at myself more than anything."
About five days before his account was shut down, Mr Asplin said he had received an email from someone acting as Gmail asking him to enter his details to stop his account from being deactivated. He replied, which probably allowed the hacking.