Kevin was worried. His friend Mike said over Facebook chat that he and his wife and kids were stranded in London after getting mugged. They needed money wired immediately to settle their hotel bill. This was especially worrisome because Mike was supposed to be recuperating in the hospital from head surgery… Then Kevin realized that someone had cracked his friend’s Facebook account and was impersonating him. Here is the transcript of their conversation:

Mike: Hello

Mike: how are you doing today ?

Kevin: hey hey

Mike: how are you doing today?

Kevin: all good, thank God…how’s by you

Mike: not good at all

Kevin: ?

Mike: yes

Kevin: what’s going on

Mike: we’re stuck in london

Mike: got mugged at the gun point last night

Mike: all cash and credit card phone got stolen away from us

Kevin: oh my goodness

Mike: but thank God will still have our passport with us

Kevin: i didn’t even know you guys were traveling

Mike: i need your help

Kevin: did you go to the police?

Mike: sorry i didn’t inforom you

Mike: yes but there are not helping issue ata ll

Mike: they told us to come back in two weeks later

Kevin: i thought you were confined to a hospital bed? how did you manage to get on a plane?

Mike: yes

Mike: i do

Mike: but my wife

Mike: has us to leave with the kids

Mike: for vacation

Mike: wondering if you can loan me some cash $$

Mike: when we get back today am going to refund back your money to you

Kevin: so you are still in the hospital, or you are in london with them?

Mike: i said am in london with them

Mike: Tracy said she going to pay back the money

Mike: when we get back

Kevin: Mike, seriously???? you never even paid me back the last loan! how i can i possibly give you more now?

Mike: please

Kevin: you remember, you asked me for money for the head surgery

Mike: Tracy will refund all

Mike: back to you immediately we get back home

Kevin: tell you what

Mike: i swear

Kevin: i have a friend in london. he can come get you

Kevin: we’ll sort it out

Kevin: i’m going to call him now, hold on

Kevin: where are you now

Mike: ok call him

Mike: but i don’t think that will help us

Mike: in this situiation

Mike: what we need is some cash

Kevin: he can bring some money for you

Mike: to get on a plane back home

Kevin: i’ll get you tickets. are you coming back to JFK?

Mike: our flight will be leaving in the next 1hour

Mike: yes

Kevin: oh, then i can meet you at the airport

Mike: can you wire us dome fund

Mike: via western union money transfer ?

Kevin: you’re at the airport already??

Mike: yes

Mike: please send us the money

Kevin: how much do you need

Mike: we’re going to pick it up here in the airport

Kevin: how much

Mike: $1550

Kevin: yikes

Kevin: oh you know what

Kevin: i have plenty of miles on my account, i can just buy the tickets for you

Mike: ??

Kevin: what flight number

Mike: i have to sort out hotel bills also

Mike: money is the issue

Mike: before leaving

Kevin: if your flight is in an hour, and you’re already in the airport, the hotels can wait until you land in a few hours

Mike: let me know how much you can get me at the moment?

Kevin: i’ll meet you at the JFK terminal

Kevin: i’ve already called your dad to let him know the situation

Kevin: he’s freaking out

Kevin: but i told him that you’re safe now

Mike: i still have my lodgings in the hotel

Kevin: he asked if you delivered the special package, or if it was taken from you

Kevin: not sure what he means by that

Kevin: do you want him to call you?

Mike: let let him know i did

Mike: i told you our phones got stolen away from

Mike: us

Kevin: oh right ok

Mike: let me know how much you can get to me at the moment

Kevin: ok, i got you 4 tickets on kuwait airways 101, it’s leaving at 6pm your time

Mike: because we need to get the bill sorted and get back home

Kevin: i put you, Tracy, and the the kids’ names on it

Kevin: so that should take care of the flight

Kevin: let me call the hotel, i’ll sort it out with them

Kevin: what’s their info

Mike: ok

Mike: you can call the hotel manager

Mike: +44[redacted]

Mike: let me know if you’re calling now

Kevin: actually, i’m calling the police. thanks for the phone number, scammer

Mike: you’re welcome

Mike: i will hack into your account if you dont log out between 6minute

Mike: i swear

Kevin: hahah go for it

Mike: ok wait and see your account going on hack processing right now

Mike: with bad sofware

Mike: 5minutes more

If anyone asks you for a Western Union transfer, even if they’re a friend or family member, watch out. These are the number one tool of choice by scammers for taking your cash because they can be picked up anywhere in the world and once they’re picked up, they’re untraceable.