Scammers were based in Malaysia

MORE details of how internet con artists tried to get money from friends of well-known community worker Jeanette Warke have come to light.

Mrs Warke's e-mail account was hacked and e-mail to several of her contacts asking for emergency money from them.

The e-mail read: "I'm presently in Malaysia and am having some difficulties here because i misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel where I stayed. I want you to assist me with a loan of $2,500 to sort-out my hotel bills and to get myself back home."

As Jeanette often spends time abroad with work, the recipients of the e-mail were concerned and her mobile phone was hot as people contacted her to offer help.

But how does this happen, especially without Jeanette herself realising what's going on?

Jeanette has said that she had problems getting into her e-mail account, and that when she attempted to see her e-mails she was told that she was using the incorrect password. Someone had changed it and she believes this may be linked to a stay on the Far East earlier this year.

The e-mail was received at nineteen minutes past five in the morning. This would have been to indicate that there was a time difference between the countries, and to make the e-mail seem more genuine. The scam was clearly thought out.

After a reply to the fictitious e-mail was sent by the Sentinel to try to determine how the scam worked, a further message was sent back with details as to where to send the money along with promises of reimbursement .

It asked us to send the money to a Jeanette Warke, and gave the address of a legitimate hotel in Kuching, Malaysia, adding: "I'll appreciate your soonest response, I promise to reimburse you upon my return. since I do not have my ID, send the money to my name but include in your next message the money transfer control number, a scanned copy of the transfer receipt, text question and answer once the money has been sent via western union money transfer."

Jeanette expressed her concern for the people who were offering to help her, saying that these people were preying on people's generosity and good natures. And she urged people to be more careful when it comes to their internet security, and also to be less trustworthy in situations that involve giving out bank details to anyone.

Mrs Warke added: "I would like to thank everyone who got in contact with me, and I really appreciated their understanding. People's support was exceptional."

She also said she had discontinued her old email account, but that she had lost more than half of the contact details stored in it, which she was therefore unable to transfer to her new account.