Life's Just Exciting!

Beware of Hackers: My Personal Experience

I never realized how vulnerable I am until this happened.

I was surprised to find a YM message from my niece in Manila this afternoon. Surprised because we don't always "talk". I thought probably she wants to get in touch ahead of their planned visit next week. When she asked where I was I got even more puzzled, but dismissed the doubt thinking may be she thought I am still in Singapore (because we went there last week). Anyway, I excitedly rattled on about their upcoming visit and tried to convince her to extend her stay for one more week. She did not comment and my messages got drowned by the flood of her messages that followed. She asked me if I can lend her P3,000 worth of globe prepaid cards/load, under the guise of helping a friend -- and getting some extra cash on the side -- who is vacationing in HongKong and who ran out of load. She said her friend is willing to pay her P5,000 in return because of desperation. After all, it is difficult not to be able to text and keep in touch with friends back in Manila.

I was starting to have doubts so I tried to delay having to actually do something about the request, and fished for some more information instead. Who is this friend; why won't she ask her mom to help her instead; is she sure she's helping a friend and not getting into a kind of internet scum, etc. etc. Her responses weren't exactly convincing so I worried that may be she is in trouble. Very vaguely I remembered stories about primary and high school students getting deep into betting scums that left them indebted to the tune of tens or even thousands of pesos. I also feared she might be being pressured or coerced even, by whom I wasn't sure.

So I called her mom, my eldest sister, and told her about my niece's highly unusual request and our whole odd YM conversation. Alarmed, my sister asked me to get as much information as possible while she calms herself down so she can think and plan . I guess any mother would react that way. My niece is 14 and at the peak of her campaign to be afforded a little more freedom. I expressed my worry about "breaking my niece heart" when she learns I told her Mommy anyway after her repeated pleas for me to keep this whole thing between the two of us. Fortunately I thought about sending my sister the supposedly new number that my niece provided. The number to which I should credit the P3,000 worth of prepaid loads. My sister called the number to find who owns it. It was supposed to be owned by a certain Marcus Cruz, 29, of Davao City. Instantly my sister knew it must be a fictitious name. Marcus claims not to know my niece. I tried calling the number to check if my niece will answer or I will be given the same information as my sister. I kept hearing the message "the number you dialed is incorrect". My sister tried calling again and got the same message.

Finally we decided it was time for my sister to confront my niece, and to let her know I spilt on her. I can always try and make up for her "loss of confidence" in me later. I was relieved to learn that I wasn't "talking" with my niece but rather with a hacker. You might think it funny but I'd rather admit I was almost fooled by a hacker than find out that indeed my niece got hooked by a hoodlum instead.

Nope, my niece wasn't making an alibi. I reviewed my YM conversation with my supposed niece and saw all the "little signs". Signs that gave me doubts but that I ignored because of excitement over a long exchange with my teenage niece, which doesn't happen very often. Those signs include her using "po" and "opo" which wasn't really her practice; saying "lola" instead of Nanay when referring to grandma; calling me "ate" at one point; and agreeing very easily to extend her visit here despite her earlier protestations with her mom.

I almost got hooked! This experience taught me to be more careful the next time I "talk" to anyone on the net, or give any information over the internet. Of course I would also encourage you to be wary the next time you are talking to "me" or anybody else on the net for that matter. Watch out for early signs of fraud, or don't be afraid to appear foolish by asking for identity authentication. We can never be too careful these days.

Lastly, take note. This is Marcus' number: 0927-3098595. The chance the hacker will use this again might be slim, but, who knows?

posted by lala @ 12:19 AM