Encounter w/ a hacker...

I had a new, wierd experience yesterday. I was sitting at my computer chatting on Skype with a co-worker in Kenya when a friend in Japan popped up in a chat window to as a question. This is not new. I often have chat windows open with people from various countries chatting. The next one was the wierd one...

I had Facebook open as well, and a "friend" (my cousin) popped up in a chat window and asked if I could help her. "Sure." She said that she was stuck in W. Africa. Huh?! I have traveled around the globe a bit, but this cousin doesn't tend to show up in W. Africa on a regular basis. I figured she was playing a word, or maybe including me in her experience of some role-play game, and would explain soon. ...so I played along.

Next she says that she's been robbed and wants me to help her. Still chatting away with Japan and Kenya, I say, "Sure, what can I do for you." "Can you send me $700 to help get me out of here? STILL playing along, I said, "What do you need that for, booze and cigarettes?" She doesn't touch either, so I thought she'd see the humor and come to the table with some explanation.

"I already told you I was robbed and need the money to get home." And now, I started to pay more attention to the situation. I picked up the phone and called my cousin. Seeing my number on caller ID, she says, "Yeah, I know. I've been hacked." I told her I was chatting with the hacker and would keep him busy for a while, so he couldn't hurt anybody else.

I chatted with him (while still mainly focusing on my discussion with my co-worker in Africa) for 20 or 30 minutes, keeping him busy explaining to me how to use Western Union...etc...and allaying my "fears" of sending money that I am not sure will get to my cousin. After a while, HE started to get suspicious, so I told him I knew for most of our chat that he was not legit. Then he started to brag about his abilities as a hacker.

When I asked him if he ever felt guilty, he started using foul language and turned on me. "I am a good harker. Your account is next. If you are harked two day be suprised!" At this point, I changed my password to something like, "Mickey Mouse Loves Minne4 Mouse and lives at 123 Elm St., New York N3w 40rk!!" and told him to hack away!

I was really tired at the end of the day...partly because of adreneline and partly because I worry if he really knows where Mickey Mouse lives! Enquiring minds want to know!

This morning, I went to Facebook....to see if I am still there....and the chat window popped up:

Harker: "Hi Greg, are you there?"
Greg: "I am here. Are you there?"
Harker: "OK"
Harker: "What are you saying about this account"

.......SILENCE......Offline.