I want to say out the outset I AM AN IDIOT!!!!
No two ways about it. I know better and I should have known better.
I received the following emails purportedly from a good friend:
The subject of the email was ¡°a Favor¡±. (a red flag ?but alas I ignored it.)
"I need to get an Amazon Gift Card for my Friend. It¡¯s her birthday today. I tried purchasing them myself, but my card declined.?Could you get them on Amazon and have them sent to her email address? Let me know so I can provide you with her email?address.
Thank you¡± (also a red flag I ignored - My friend has impeccable credit - Shame on me)
I responded with: ¡°How can I help?"
My friend purportedly responded:
"Thank you, the total amount needed is $200 here is her email address {?
ashleeweisal@...?} Lastly make sure the?delivery date is Now and I want you to write ¡®Happy Birthday With Love' in the message space. Let me know once you have?made the order.¡±
(Another red flag - the amount of $200 - for a friend¡¯s birthday - I don¡¯t have friends like that that I would give $200 for a birthday gift!)
I was preparing for an online meeting and replied I would do so after the meeting.
It goes on like that.
AND unfortunately,?after my meeting, I did as requested.
Then I began to have doubts. I texted my friend ?that I purchased the card and they replied ¡°I have been hacked, don¡¯t do it!¡±
Too late.?
I called my credit card company and they could do nothing but the representative gave me a secure number for Amazon.
I reached out to Amazon and they cancelled the order and credited my card.
Now there were several times I could have checked the validity of the request:
1. I should have checked my friends email as listed in my contacts against the address on the email - they were different but I failed to check until after I purchased the card.
2. The amount requested ($200.00) was a lot for ¡°a birthday present for a friend¡± and I should have checked with her via text ?(I knew my friend was working and wouldn¡¯t be able to answer her phone)
3. There were red flags all around and I just ignored them. Shame on me!
Now Kudos to Amazon - they cancelled the order. Here is the phone # for Amazon given to me by AMEX -?(888) 280-4331?
I was lucky.
I know better but I am an idiot!
Please, Please learn from my cautionary tale.
Red flags abounded and I am red with embarrassment.
Harry
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