Fraud Alert! Bogus Emails Claiming Need For Monetary Help

Overnight and early today fraudulent emails started showing up in inboxes in the East Tennessee Region.  These emails claim to be from various people, however all making the same desperate request for monetary help.

The emails claim that the person is in temporary need of help after being stuck in London, Ukraine, etc… and unable to access their banking accounts.  The request is for a “loan” until they can get their hotel bills paid.  The message further claims that an additional email will arrive telling the recipient how to transfer money.

As ridiculous as it may seem, hundreds of people often fall prey to these scammers and send them money.  Once the victim enters their banking information, the perpetrators then have the ability to funnel money from their accounts.

Persons receiving these messages should NOT reply, or in any way correspond to the sender.  The email should be deleted and / or added to the email program’s spam filter.