“THE LOCK on your account will expire in approximately 24 hours—the lockout period will not reset each time you attempt to sign in while the account is still locked. You can try to recover your password again after the lock has expired. See you tomorrow.”
This is the message I got Tuesday when I unsuccessfully tried to access my email address after several friends had called to inform me that they had received an email from me requesting a loan of £960, as I had been robbed in my hotel while visiting a new research complex at the Swansea Imperial College, Gallery Section, Wales.
Now, I had never visited Wales in my life, as beautiful as I know that part of the United Kingdom  to be; and while that email was being circulated, even to Chronicle’s Editor-in-Chief, Mark Ramotar, and other media associates, I was working under pressure in my office.
What disturbs me is that I have friends who would pay that amount to get me out of trouble, without even mentioning it to me, and I only hope that the fraudulent message did not reach any of them, because they may be oblivious to the fact that I am not the person who is soliciting funds from them, and think that they are helping me.
Months ago, I received a similar email, purportedly sent by a colleague from the rice industry, whom I know would not be soliciting such a large amount of money from me, because he is aware that I have been a struggling single mother for most of my adult life. 
Recently, someone sent me another email of a similar nature, this time supposedly sent by an associate from the Office of the President.
A while back, my daughter received notification of a lottery she had won in the US, which she had not entered, and was requested a sum to process her winnings.
My good friend, Johnny Kowlessar of Pavnik Press showed me a winning notification of a UK Lottery Award from a Mr. Charles Wall.  Apparently the scammers mistook Guyana for Ghana, and advised that one Barrister Mike Phumza of Africa would process the winnings after a sum is paid to facilitate transferral of winnings. Of course, secrecy is advised for security purposes.
The public is warned that there are many scammers out there, and technology is allowing conmen a whole new dimension.  The hackers bypassed my password and entered my most private space, resulting in my being unable to access my own mail. 
Be warned. It could happen to you – and friends who care about other people and help without considering the cost, take warning and check with the friend first.
Recently, some men purporting to be pundits who could read patra fleeced a number of Guyanese on the basis that they could solve their problems.  Every day, the television stations air programmes with various so-called pastors who could faith-heal and perform miracles.  Religion today is big business, and it has nothing to do with God, because these ‘preachers’ are living luxury lives in mansions at the expense of the gullible people they are conning.
It is more than 72 hours, and I still cannot access my email address, but whoever is sending these fraudulent requests for help obviously has unlimited access.  This scam is of international proportions and yet the hackers are not being pursued, much less penalized, and the fact that these scams are continuing is an indication of the success the perpetrators are enjoying.