New forms of clever hacking

We all are well informed about hacking and the dangers that it can bring to the victims, right? We know the possible ways we could get hacked, e.g emails, facebook, bank accounts, credit cards, etc., We know as well how to protect ourselves - at least, since I assume that we are all clever enough to take heed. However, having knowledge about how it might be like is nothing compared to actually experiencing to be hacked. Being a victim of this vicious activity is no joke.

We should never underestimate hackers. They are the most educated individuals knowledgeable with technology; they had A+ rating in psychology with expertise in public relation. They know how to trap their victims. They scheme and they plan well. You would never know, you can be the next in their list.

I was contacted by my best friend M**. She sought my advice regarding with the business deal she was negotiating with my other close friend N** [best friend and close friend are also friends]. I asked “what’s the deal?” My best friend is in the Philippines [she just got back after two years of stay in Bangkok] while my other friend is still here in Bangkok. She said that she was asked by N** to provide her with mobile loads/credits. These mobile credits would be for roaming Sim cards that Filipinos based in Thailand are using. M** would provide, N** would sell. The demand is said to be very high. They would be able to sell P50 000 in just a matter of three days. N** would send the money to M** after she collects the payment. Quick money. Therefore best friend asked if she should use her savings that she prepared for the processing of her visa going to Dubai since she was told she would quickly get her money back. Obviously I did not agree that she postpone her processing of her documents so I said “No.” matter of fact. I held that if the business would really work, then she might as well try out first starting with small amount like P5 000. If it does work, then she can increase the capital. I also believed that they should agree to share the capital 50-50 so that it would not be difficult for her. That said, my best friend followed my advice and proposed to Miss N** that they start from a smaller capital. However, immediately the next day, I received a call from my close friend N** informing me that her yahoo messenger and facebook were hacked and that the hacker has been communicating with her friends that were in her contact list. What was even scary was the news that one of her good friends in the Philippines was ripped of P50 000 because she agreed to do business with the hacker. She provided him with mobile loads. My hair stood while I listened to my friend over the phone. I informed her that our friend Miss M** was also contacted by the hacker. As you can guess, I immediately contacted my best friend to inform her that she was communicating with a hacker and not the real friend of ours. But she did not believe. She said she was hundred percent certain that she was communicating with Miss N** because they chatted cam to cam whenever they discussed about the business. She was seeing her over the cam. Great! How was I supposed to explain that fact and convince her not to communicate with the hacker anymore? She sent me the copy of their exchanges in chat. As I read it, I noticed that the hacker used conditioning method. He repeats the phrases, “we’ll earn big”, “and we should not let this pass”, “big profit”. Naturally, as a prospect victim, if you let excitement and desire for big money over power your rational side, then you easily fall in trap.

I was online checking my facebook account. My cousin who is based in the Philippines found me online and buzzed me up. She asked “Hi yen! What’s the status of our business?” I was like “What?!” I couldn’t believe it. “Oh my God! Don’t tell me my own yahoo messenger and facebook were hacked.” I was praying. I replied, “Don’t tell me you’re talking about the mobile load business?” “Yes. Should I send you the credits?” That was exactly something I never expected to hear. I was shocked. How many of my friends were contacted by the hacker from my list? I was getting paranoid. I went on interrogating my cousin on how her communication with the hacker started. She said it started with a simple text message. Somebody sent her a text saying “Hello guys, this is my new roaming number. Xx Yenyen.” The sender used my nickname, a nickname only my family and relatives knew. Other friends do not know me by such name. Then started their business deal. I cracked my head hard trying to connect the puzzles figuring out how the hacker got my identity and where he got my cousin’s mobile number? I first considered the possibility that since my facebook account was once suspended due to some suspicious activities of which I was asked by the facebook team to change my password, it could be that the hacker was able to access my cousin’s contact information by scanning her profile page. But cousin said she does not publish her mobile phone number at facebook or anywhere in the web. Therefore how does the facebook anomaly and her deceiving business partner relate?

I could go on and on, crack my head out, but only more theory branch out from these possibilities that I've got.