Scam Alert? Aimed toward Christians?

Below is an email I received this morning. The name is similar to SI names (Openhisword@yahoo.com), but they are not in my contact list, don't use my name, don't say where to send money, and "I await your response" sounds odd for a Christian.

Any thoughts? I DO HAVE MY EMAIL LISTED ON THIS SIGHT. I did leave my computer on last night.

I am posting this as a query and an alert. One brother also thought it funny/fake. Maybe others from here got a similar one, or know "open his word." I would help such a sister in Christ in real trouble.
_________________
Hello,

I'm sorry for this odd request and I'm writing this with tears in my eyes,We came down here to London,England for a short vacation and got mugged at gun point last night at the park of the hotel where we lodged all cash,credit cards and cell were stolen off.

We are even owing the hotel here,the hotel manager won't let leave until we settle the hotel bills now am freaked out... please i need you to lend us some money so we can make arrangements and return back We are full of panic now,the police only asked me to write a statement about the incident and directed me to the embassy,we have spoken to the embassy here but they are not responding to the matter effectively, I will refund the money back to you as soon as we get back home, I am so confused right now and thank God I wasn't injured because I complied immediately.

I await your response

Thanks
Laura
_____________________________________________

OK the more I read this the more fake it seems. Should I report this somewhere? Do people visit Christian sites collecting emails?

Hey,

I appreciate your heart being prepared to lend money where needed. :)

However, it is a hoax. I receive stuff like this all the time.

http://www.google.com.au/m?q=m+sorry+for+this+odd+request+and+I%27m+writing+this+with+tears+in+my+eyes%2CWe+came+down+here+to+London%2CEngland+for+a+short+vacation+and+got+mugged+at+gun+point+last+night+at+the+park+of+the+hotel+where+we+lodged+all+cash%2Ccredit+cards+and+cell+were+stolen+

I copied a selection of the text into google. As you can see there are heaps of results.

Brother in Christ,
Michael

I searched on this site, under "search" and found them. Aaron and Laura Thibault. I also found two email from back in 2008 I had recieved. Same email address. The ministry offered free CD of messages, including Paul Washer.

They are real people. Perhaps their brother commandeered their email account after being released from prison?

WE SHOULD PRAY. I may contact them unless someone thinks that would put me at a computer risk. Here is an old contact.
____________________________________
Hello Brothers and Sister,

It's Aaron from OpenHisWord Ministries. Firstly I wanted to thank everyone for their congratulation's and blessing's for our new baby Rebekah. She's a true joy, oh yeah... Rebekah Joy. :-)

I wanted to let everyone know of a few Updates for the Ministry. We have finally added Corrie Ten Boom to our catalog. I had mentioned a while ago that I would be doing this and never got around to it. Well a dear saint requested her, and that got me in gear. Please do take the time learn about her perseverance for the Lord, or re-learn. I know many of us live in the protected land of America, but I do not believe we will have it like this forever. All who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. I believe persecution is something the Lord allows to draw his body together and strengthen us. Many of our divisions will go out the window when we must cleave to one another and the Lord.

I also wanted to make anyone aware, who isn't already, about the timely and monumental message delivered by brother Paul Washer Wednesday night. "Ten Indictments" If I had the authority to say that listening to this message is mandatory for Christians, I would. But I plead with everyone if you haven't, you really should. The Lord's heart was poured out to His people. We must hear what our God requires of us in order for Him to use us in these last days.

We love hearing from you all. Please do write with praises and prayer requests. We do our utmost to lift each one before the Lord. We await the testimonies our Lord will provide.

We have a prayer request we bring before you. My parents and I are saved and walking with the Lord. My only sibling, Philip, is not. He has spent nearly the last three years in federal prison. The wonderful thing is that we know the Lord has been after him. Philip has not denied us the knowledge about the Christians He's met in there. Many times He's talked openly with us about them. This has blessed and encouraged us. Though he is not saved at this time, we are thrilled, because He gets out on Monday. We've missed him greatly. But, if you would lift him before the Lord it would be a great encouragement to us. We want him to share in what the Lord has done in our lives.

Thank you, and our Lord Jesus' grace abound in you,

-Aaron Thibault

I am praying about reporting this to the below site and mentioning His brother (released from prison 2008) who could have hacked email contacts.

report site:http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

HAS MY COMPUTER BEEN HACKED INTO? HOW WOULD I KNOW?

Hey Joan,

I read this before i logged on and I clicked on your profile and your email was there for all to see.

Log in and then go into "View Account" and then edit account

Under your profile name; UNCLICK the box that says:
"Allow other users to view my email address"

God bless you,

Hello,

I just received a note from Joan concerning this email sent from my son's address. Yes, they were hacked into yesterday.

Aaron already posted a notice on their facebook walls but I spend more time here on sermonindex so I'm letting you know.

I was pretty shocked reading it and, as I assured Joan, they are safely here in Maine and seeing as Laura is due to deliver in a matter of days, I don't think they would have let her onto an airplane anyhow.

I wish I could be lighthearted about this, but God have mercy on those people that do these things. I guess you always think they'll attack someone else.

God bless and thanks for your concerns.

Kathleen Panno

My current personal solution was to use "bogusforsecurity@hotmail.com" as my required email. I "unclicked" the box. I then posted under extra information how members could get my address. I actually am OK with MEMBERS emailing me. I support the idea of Greg having valid emails when members join. Some places have a two step membership process where they email you first to test the validity of the link between the one signing up and the one with that email.

Glad to see that Aaron knows. Maybe he could email alert those he has in his old site email list, in case he ever restores the site.