One of our American Catters was exploited in this fashion a few years ago, and when we received the begging e-mail we suspected fraud right away because it was full of spelling mistakes our fiddling friend would never make. Her e-mail account was hacked, we eventually learned.

I did reply to the e-mail, but with a skill-testing question about her cat. Just in case. Knowledge of other people's felines comes in handy at the oddest times.