Emails from Debby McClatchy

Subject: Emails from Debby McClatchy
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Feb 21 - 08:45 PM

Several of us have received suspicious emails from the Gmail account that Debby seldom uses. Here's the text of the email:

How are you doing ?
Hope this email finds you well?
I need a little favor from you, will be so glad if you can render me. Do you have an Amazon account ?

I forwarded a copy to her usual aol account, and received this response:

no. that my aol mail is blocked so that why i use gmail to text you and ask for a favor and i will be glad if you can do it please text me on my Gmail back okay..

So apparently they got control of her AOL email, too. I called her about this just now, and we'll be working on this the next few days. I got a loaf of banana nut bread for work I did for her last week. This email job is gonna cost her brioche. That's what she gives me for the big projects, because she knows how much I love her brioche.

If anybody can identify this virus and tell me how it spreads, please let me know. I'm afraid this might have an effect on a large part of the folk community.

In the meantime, don't reply to her by email just now, and she's been kinda overwhelmed by phone calls.


Thanks.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Emails from Debby McClatchy
From: Felipa
Date: 25 Feb 21 - 09:46 PM

I got a very similar email a month ago from someone I know, but not very well. The writer asked for a favour but didn't specify what, didn't mention an Amazon account.
"Hello,

How are you doing? Hope you and your family are safe and healthy ? I was wondering if i can get a quick favour from you.

Kind regards,

Keep safe."

I didn't hit the reply button. Instead I emailed the alledged sender via my address book. I told her I had received a strange email from her and asked what favour she was wanting. I got an email then saying,
"I need to get a Google play gift card for my Niece, it's her birthday. Can you purchase Google Play gift cards £100 x 3 (£100 denomination) each at any nearby store around you or via www.paypal.com/uk/gifts/brands ? I would reimburse you when I am through later today. I would have preferred to call you but can't receive or call now with my line.

"Let me know if you can purchase them now so i can forward you her details."

I do not know M. that well! I didn't answer that email right away and I didn't have a chance later that day because a fuse blew in the mains and I had no power to the sockets , to the computer router, for a few days - not easy to source the replacement fuse during lockdown.

Subject: RE: Emails from Debby McClatchy
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Feb 21 - 10:07 PM

Open the email header and look at the details. It will be from somewhere other than where your friend lives.

Report phishing to Gmail or Report phishing to AOL.

Subject: RE: Emails from Debby McClatchy
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 26 Feb 21 - 08:51 AM

We had this scam in the UK last year.

If you have received an email which you're not quite sure about, forward it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS): [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Emails from Debby McClatchy
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 27 Feb 21 - 06:41 PM

Felipa - "gift card for my niece" was among the wording I had from the Debby hacker. I replied that I couldn't find the particular variety of gift card on Amazon, and was then urged to ask in any supermarket, grocery store or Wal-Mart (I'm in UK - confirmed the email was a hack).
Thanks, Joe, for helping out. Enjoy the brioche!
Ross