Surgery Alert! A True Story of Mayhem, Crime, and Rescue
It started with a quiet afternoon at home.
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 4:12 PM
Subject: SURGERY!!
Just a quick note to say. I slipped while walking and fell. Next thing I knew, I had broken my right femur, It required surgery.
I received this email in response to my message to a friend and client about scheduling a website update call. I immediately responded:
OUCH! Thinking good thoughts about your recovery. Please be patient with yourself and let me know when you feel like a website dive.
Thinking that would be our communication limit for several days, I returned to Prime TV and “Daniel Deronda.”
But That’s Not What Happened
Ping! That was fast.
Thank you for reaching out. I’m in the hospital at the moment and appreciate your concern, Sorry to bother you. Do you usually make purchases from Amazon online?
Strange request, but I do purchase lots on Amazon, so replied:
Yes, I do.
Ping! She must want me to do something for her… an opportunity to do a mitzvah!
Actually, I need to get an UberEATS E-gift card for my Friend who is down with cancer of the Liver, It’s her birthday today. I tried purchasing them myself but my card got declined. Can you get it from your Amazon account and have them sent to her email address? Let me know so I can provide you with her email address.
I Thought This Through – or So I Thought
Hmmm, “down with cancer of the Liver” is a strange phrase. But I see my friend struggling to do a good thing for her friend, from bed, in unfamiliar surroundings, without her husband or daughter around. Never, in altruistic myopia, did I question why she would turn to me.
Sure, just send me the details.
I fixed a glass of good screw-top white. Ping! The details came after a few minutes.
Thank you very much for the help, Amount needed is $200(2) Quantities total will be $400 UberEATS E-gift card Email: lewis.ficheraa@gmail.com
message: Have a sweet Day ! Let the delivery date be Now.
Following Instructions
There are lots of listings for UberEATS on Amazon. I selected one that offered a $200 denomination and the rest was easy. Amazon quickly confirmed my purchase, and I forwarded the confirmation with a message.
Please let her know that it is from you. I added your name to the message, but it also says “from Ann”
Ping!
She got it already, Thanks. But unfortunately she just told me that it couldn’t suffice what she needed to get on Amazon so I was wondering if you can help me to purchase another $200. So I’ll move a check over for the total sum of $600. and can you please send me the address where you want me to mail the check to. I really appreciate it alot. God bless you .
That Was My Cue – Finally!
What the heck? My head suddenly connected with my gut. I raced to my computer to see if I could cancel the order. To my complete surprise and delight, Amazon canceled the order! Their “systems” could see what my brain could not. This was a scammer!
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 4:12 PM, from my friend:
My account was hacked. Do not respond to prior email or click on links. Thank you.
My friend and I are both over 80. We need this sharp awakening. We need better computer security. We need to think before we act.
Thank you, Amazon.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What scam story have you experienced? Did you fall for it? Do you think you’d be clear-headed enough to recognize a scam for what it is?
Tags Technology
Thank you!
I have received scammer emails and calls stating my student loan was overdue and they needed funds immediately or they would press charges. Now mind you I never had a student loan and attended college in the 70’s.
The frightening thing was they had my home address.
Thank you!!
i had a similar incident some years ago. the only way i didn’t get quite as deep as you, is i called the individual directly to see where the cards should be sent
but i got caught, too. the lady i got the music cards from at Target let me return them, even though it says clearly ‘non refundable’ on the card, so i, too, got some grace in the situation
calling my friend directly with her voice eliminated that ‘hiding behind the keyboard’ people seem to use so well
My significant other was just called by the “fraud department” of his credit card to ask if he had made a certain purchase. They had the answer to his ID question and everything else. When they asked if they could help him with other credit card possible frauds that was the red flag. The scammers are getting more clever every day. Luckily he called the card direct and canceled it.
Yes, we must be vigilant to these things. If it feels odd, it usually is.