Nigeria Hacker

[Jim Watt]

*"TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE" MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*PO Box **25116 – Federal Way** **WA** **98093-2116***

*Tel: 253.874.4256 – Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org – **March 4, 2008***

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*"**NIGERIA** HACKER"*

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*NIGERIA** HACKER CAUSES WORRY TO NOXON WOMAN, FAMILY*

*Editor's note: Each week, the Missoulian provides readers with a sampling
of news gleaned from weekly newspapers around western **Montana**. (**January
8, 2008**)*

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Mickie Dobson of Noxon was wrestling with her computer, trying to access her
e-mails through her Yahoo account, when the phone calls started coming in.

My sister in Wyoming called and asked if I was all right," Dobson told
reporter Simons of the Sanders County Ledger. "My brother from
Californiacalled and asked what kind of crazy thing had I gotten
myself into. I
thought they were kidding. I'm here in Noxon in my pajamas trying to send
e-mails, and I'm fine."

The reason Dobson couldn't access her Yahoo account was that someone in
Nigeria had. They hacked into her account, changed her "password", got into
her address book and fired off a flurry of e-mails to Dobson's family and
friends.

            The messages, allegedly from Dobson, were a plea for financial
help.

            "I am sorry I didn't inform you about my traveling to Africa for
a program called Empowering Youth to Fight Racism, HIV/AIDS, Poverty and
Lack of Education," the missives began.

            The e-mails said Dobson had forgotten the bag with all her
money, credit cards, return airline ticket and passport in a taxi, and now
she owed a hotel $1,000 and needed another $1,500 to return home.

            "I am in a terrible and tight situation here. I don't even have
money to feed myself for a day, which means I have been starving," read the
e-mails, which asked people to wire her money in Africa.

            You couldn't blame the people who got them from thinking they
could be true, the Ledger reported. Dobson is vice president of Community
Services Fellowship Inc., a charitable organization that includes the food
bank for the west end of Sanders County, so she is involved in helping the
less fortunate.

            And she had traveled to Africa before, spending a summer there a
decade earlier on a photography tour. Not only that, the e-mails were signed
the way she often signs ones she's actually written: "Thanx, Mickie."

            As soon as the calls started coming in, Dobson contacted the
Sanders County Sheriff's Department, the FBI, Yahoo – and the people in her
address book. Only one friend was victimized, wiring $100 along with an
apology for not being able to help more because of a recent job layoff.

            "If I had not been at home to discover this fraudulent attempt
to get money using my name, this crook may have done a lot of damage to my
family and friends," Dobson told the Ledger. "The e-mails began at
8:36 a.m.and it took me until 5
p.m. to get a new password. In that period of time, this person could have
bilked my friends out of a lot of money."





*NOTE:*  If you've read the above, you will no doubt remember receiving an
almost identical note supposedly from me. I too had been in Africa on two
occasions, speaking both times in Cairo, and traveling up the Nile by plane
to Luxor and Karnak.



When I couldn't get on my computer at that time to send and receive e-mails,
I contacted my Web-master who fortunately had a copy of my email addresses.
We worked out a new "password" composed of a series of numbers and letters
that made sense to me, but would be almost impossible to "hack". He sent out
a letter in my name alerting my readers to the falsity and fraud of the plea
to save me from starving, paying $1000 Hotel bill and $1500 to fly home –
seeing I had lost all my money, credit cards etc.



I have had a score to 50 pleas from Nigeria to help someone over there to
inherit $10 million, and a cut of a million or so to me for my kindness. I
have deleted all of them! But when a friend of mine in Montana sent me the
above Newspaper report of the unfortunate lady in Noxon – then it occurred
to me that a letter from me to encourage you to update your "password" to
prevent hackers cutting you out by changing it – might be appreciated.



It is now about 8 months that I have been free from hackers. Such are
absolutely without a good conscience.



It might be good to pray that a more successful policing of the Internet
take place. Countries like the Philippines, governments, our Pentagon – have
all successfully been hacked. God has alerted us that the end of this age
will have a new type of danger and lawlessness. Paul warned Timothy of this
2000 years ago. Often it is teen-agers who do this just for kicks. But more
often those criminally-inclined are doing it for money.



So – just a word to the wise – Jim & Marie Watt









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