News - Security Issues

Stranded friend scam continues to swindle consumers out of thousands of dollars

The FBI and its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) report that a not-so-new scam continues to trick consumers into handing over large sums of money to hackers. Pretending to be one of your friends, the scammer uses that friend's compromised email or social networking account to send out a notice telling you that they're overseas and have had their money/passport/credit cards/cell phone stolen. They go on to tell you that they're about to be kicked out of their hotel and need money to get the situation resolved and get back home. This sense of urgency is meant to keep you from taking the time to validate their claim.

If you receive a similar message and aren't sure it's a scam, the IC3 recommends that you take the time to verify the information before sending any money.