FAO MICK GAUGHRAN - URGENT

Post by **AJL Electronics** » Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:39 pm

A couple of messages appeared in my inbox claiming to be from you. Has your Hotmail address been hijacked? I don't have a telephone number for you to alert you any other way.

Post by **peter freeman** » Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:47 pm

Was it about bitcoin I have had a bitcoin message from Mick this morning

drcdb15 · Post by **drcdb15** » Sat Jun 22, 2019 5:41 pm

Seems to be phishing. Best not to open the full message (mine said it was 'clipped' - I've never had a clipped email before, certainly not from Mick, so alarm bells rang.

And my own name as the subject line? I don't think so!

Best to mark it as spam and then delete it. https://howtoremove.guide/bitcoin-blackmail-email-scam/

Post by **gtcse8** » Sat Jun 22, 2019 6:07 pm

JUST SPEAKING TO MICK NOW.
HIS PC IS IN FOR REPAIR
HE APOLOGISES FOR THIS PROBLEM/INCONVENIENCE
HE HAS BEEN PHISHED VIA AN RSSOC CONTACT
PLEASE DELETE ALL MESSAGES FROM HIM

Post by **Roger Pennington** » Sat Jun 22, 2019 7:58 pm

Coincidentally I've just received a couple of these (on two separate accounts of mine) from someone else, who also uses hotmail. A google search for "hotmail hack" suggests it's a bit more widespread.....

Post by **scimjim** » Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:14 pm

It’s not just hotmail, I’ve had several from various people (gmail seems to recognise them very well and sends to junk), a couple of people also received them with my name as the sender but my anti- virus etc didn’t pick anything up.

Post by **philhoward** » Sat Jun 22, 2019 9:07 pm

We’ve had it floating around work for a few weeks - but it’s all Microsoft based with outsourced IT support so the worst of all worlds trying to sort it..

Post by **mick_gaugh** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:29 pm

Hi All
I could not and did not want to answer earlier for fear of making matters worse, I did accidentally open a file from an RSSOC member on my phone while on the train home, it very soon became obvious that something was wrong. I called home and my computer was delivered to the PC store straight away for urgent repair. I picked it up this evening.
I just wanted to apologise unreservedly to everyone for any inconvenience caused. Apparently Microsoft UK are currently inundated with people suffering from the same issue. I was also told that Apple devices are much more difficult to infect.

Just to confirm, I could not apologise earlier as I had no net access.

Regards

Mick Gaughran

Post by **peter freeman** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:56 pm

It did not cause me any problems Mick even though I did receive identical mails from you and George - which I did not follow up.

Post by **mick_gaugh** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:29 pm

Thank you Peter, See you soon. Fingers crossed.

Regards

Mick

Post by **peter freeman** » Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:31 am

Just got another ( the same as before ) message "from George" so they are still out there - deleted of course.

Post by **AJL Electronics** » Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:50 am

It isn't a virus (initially at least). It is a phishing attempt to get login details. Whether there is a malware effect too I don't know as I went no further into it.

drcdb15 · Post by **drcdb15** » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:47 pm

scimjim wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:14 pm
... but my anti- virus etc didn’t pick anything up.

No, it wouldn't, because as Andy says it's not a virus. Someone has hacked a contact list somewhere, and sent out messages to all names on it, and so it spreads. No need to send your PC away, just delete the message, but MARK IT AS SPAM first, this transfers it to your spam or junk folder. THEN delete it. Your PC will then recognise it as spam the next time it comes around, and this at least should give you a warning that all is not well (unless of course ALL your "friends'" messages get sent to junk... !) before you open it.

Anyway, just opening the email won't do any harm, it's clicking on some link within the message that gets you problems. Seems this particular attack has been out there for some months, so we should consider ourselves lucky to have escaped for so long

Post by **gtcse8** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 5:24 pm

I`m on my second from a-harwood1@sky.com

"no subject" but my malware has quarantined it in spam

Mark