UNHAPPILY HACKED: Rosie Frecklington warns people to be cautious when they receive emails requesting money. Photo: STEVE GOSCH 0318sgrosie1
ROSIE Frecklington is used to asking people for money.
As one of the co-ordinators and founders of the successful Vinnies Van initiative, over the years Mrs Frecklington has approached countless companies and individuals seeking everything from a helping hand to cold, hard cash.
Therefore, an email request for a donation from this tireless charity worker may not have immediately rang alarm bells with her many friends and family, but it should have.
After updating her email address and password via a scam email on Sunday, Mrs Frecklington realised her computer had been hacked, and her files and contacts stolen.
The hackers accessed Mrs Frecklington’s email contact list and sent messages saying she was in Manilla, and in trouble, and needed money to be sent to her immediately.
Yesterday morning she received a call from the Catholic diocesan office confirming they’d been contacted by some of her friends and people who regularly donate to the Vinnies Van to see if the email request was legitimate.
Mrs Frecklington told the Central Western Daily she was “sick to the stomach” about being caught in the scam and wanted to warn people to delete any emails sent from her Yahoo account.
“The emails make me sound like I’m really desperate,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“I just hope people will check first to make sure it’s from me.”
Mrs Frecklington said a check-up from her doctor yesterday confirmed the incident was probably what caused a spike in her blood pressure.
“I feel sick, really sick,” she said.
Mrs Frecklington has also turned to Facebook to warn as many people as she can to disregard her emails.
She also warns other people to be cautious about updating their details online.