I've read about this particular scam before but it happened to me this morning and I wanted to spread the word in case some of you hadn't heard of it.
I got an email from the club president this morning asking for my help with purchasing some gift certificates that will be used for an auction to benefit a local veteran charity. I wasn't sure what I was being asked to do so i replied and asked for clarity. I then got a reply to purchase $1000 (10x $100) in gift certificates to basically "wherever" and I'd be reimbursed. Then scratch off the codes on the back and email the pres. a pic of the numbers and he'd send a check. Thing was, and I didn't realize it at first, the email was fake. Were I a more trusting/gullible person and had I not had the pres. email in autogenerate forms (we talk regularly) it might have worked.
Pretty silly right? Well considering the demographic of most clubs and the lack of technical saavy of some of the members it's actually a fairly slick scam.
So, people are cruising our club websites and making fake emails using the president's name and targeting members using the email addresses listed on our club websites.
I'm sure nothing more needs to be said here. Just posting to put the word out in case someone hadn't heard of this before. I'm hoping to send out a club wide email. I think they just had bad luck targeting me this time but for all I know the entire club population might have this email in their inbox right now...
I got an email from the club president this morning asking for my help with purchasing some gift certificates that will be used for an auction to benefit a local veteran charity. I wasn't sure what I was being asked to do so i replied and asked for clarity. I then got a reply to purchase $1000 (10x $100) in gift certificates to basically "wherever" and I'd be reimbursed. Then scratch off the codes on the back and email the pres. a pic of the numbers and he'd send a check. Thing was, and I didn't realize it at first, the email was fake. Were I a more trusting/gullible person and had I not had the pres. email in autogenerate forms (we talk regularly) it might have worked.
Pretty silly right? Well considering the demographic of most clubs and the lack of technical saavy of some of the members it's actually a fairly slick scam.
So, people are cruising our club websites and making fake emails using the president's name and targeting members using the email addresses listed on our club websites.
I'm sure nothing more needs to be said here. Just posting to put the word out in case someone hadn't heard of this before. I'm hoping to send out a club wide email. I think they just had bad luck targeting me this time but for all I know the entire club population might have this email in their inbox right now...
