Input about strange Facebook hack and phone call at work

I received a call at work this morning that was so odd it prompted me to call the phone company. It was a guy freaking out about my not answering "the emails I sent you on FB".

It was from a local number so I tried to understand the guy thinking it might be a business contact.
The guys accent was Middle Eastern.
He was angry and referred to me by my name (seemingly knowing it was me who answered the phone), and said, "why you haven't answered my emails on FB, I email you on FB, why did you not answer me, etc." He sounded full of anxiety. I asked who he was and told him it was hard to understand him.
He wouldn't tell me, and I'm not even sure he heard me asking who he was as he was talking so fast, only stating I hadn't answered his "email on FB" over and over.
He was frustrated at me, and said, "I call you back". He thought I couldn't hear him I guess.

2nd call:

He called back less than a minute later. I asked a coworker to answer or let the machine get it. She answered. She began to tell the guy I didn't want to buy anything. I told her to tell him no one by my name worked there and to hang up. She didn't. The guy began to get forceful, insisting she get me back on the phone. She asked his name and he told her it was "sergeant" "(gave my last name as his own). She asked him how he could have my last name given it would not come close to matching his accent. He kept giving it. Then she asked him something I cannot recall. He said, "let me ask my comando".

Facebook:

Fast forward to tonight.
I decide to check my FB as I recall this guy was going on and on about FB.
Sure enough there is someone named "Sergeant (using my last name as his own) with a photo attached.
He added himself to my account somehow (hacked). This was done on June 13th.
He also sent me a message on June 13th.
He also began his FB account on June 13th.
His message on this date says stuff like, you're like a shining amour, etc." He tells me he is in the US army and says some other stuff.

He sent another message on 6/28 saying more stuff about himself, saying he would like to visit with me, etc.
He has no friends, and again, no history prior to a message sent to me 6/13.

What would be the purpose of this? This wasn't someone asking for money or personal information. He was upset I hadn't seen that he had hacked into my FB I guess so decided to hunt me down and call me at work.

The photo is of a man with dark eyes and an army fatigue (that anyone can get). He did not sound like anyone I've ever talked to in our military and he doesn't look like someone who would be in our military (although he could be based on looks alone). He also called from a local number (probably also hacked into). It's just creepy so any ideas would put my mind at ease.

P. S. - The commando comment makes me think A) He has someone in command of him providing advice or, B) he is not doing well mentally and may need attention brought to that or C) he is an extremely lonely person who is seriously desperate to find American friends.

Stay away and ignore this guy. He has hacked into your friendship book and even calls you at work! Good grief!

I would call the police or contsct FB. He's harassing you, stalking.
Perhaps he has mistaken you for someone else?

No idea what it's about. I would be creeped out

I agree - I just wanted to know what the motivation would be behind this. I thought about the accident thing, especially since he sounded like an abusive boyfriend talking to his girlfriend. But he would have to be delusional since I have a photo on my FB. Just when you thought you have seen and heard it all....

I typed in just the right search terms and found this after I posted here. Evidently an Army criminal investigation team in Quantico Virginia had to alert the public about people in the ME impersonating our military personnel. It doesn't match my experience though. I don't reach out for friendships or otherwise online, and it appears the impersonators were targeting women who do that. All I know is with it being a local call it freaked me out as he sounded abusive. You never know who might be going off the deep end.

www.army.mil...

I will definitely report it for what it's worth. They can probably track the phone number, and even if I never know what it was about, I'll feel safer for having done it.

Yes, do report it. Stay safe!

Haha, do you have any friends that like to play pranks?
I made a false account before, cut and paste some pics of a hot girl and added a couple of mates, not long after that all my mates were adding me, some thought they knew me from school, I even had a mate meet me for a date at the movies, when he seen me, he went red haha.

Good luck, and never attach a phone number to your Facebook account.

a reply to: Dianec

Very creepy! I know that doesn't exactly put your mind at ease. I hope it turns out okay. Please let us know how you deal with it.

a reply to: Dianec

I just wanted to know what the motivation would be behind this.

What would concern me the most, is that the guy took the time to use your last name and spoof a local call.

Is your FB account affiliated with ATS? Could he stalk you here as well?

I will definitely report it *snip* I'll feel safer for having done it.

Reporting it will not make you one iota safer. Only YOU can make yourself safer. If this asshat is a real threat, I hope you're ready. He knows who you are, what you look like, and _exactly_ where you work. He's had what ... three weeks to stalk you ... if that local number wasn't simply spoofed?

I wouldn't panic or go paranoid ... but I would start making note of what's going on around me ... and 'cross the street' if something looked really out of place. Does anything stand out in your mind as unusual over the last few weeks outside of the contact you've mentioned?

a reply to: Dianec

Get some buddies, set up a meeting and see what he wants. Keep it public, keep friends within disarming range.

I had a strange women turn up on my FB friends list once, freaked me out for a day of 2. Seemed to be friends with a lot of my friends. Weird!! Turned out my brother changed his name on his FB account added a profile pic of a women as a practical joke to a lot of his FB friends & freak out some mates lol. Could this be possible of one of your friends?

Eta: I actually un friended my brother because I was freaked & didn't realise it was him until after lol

It does sound like a phone scam. Perhaps he didn't ask for money. But that's probably where he was headed. The bad connection on his end was likely what stopped him.

One of the tricks these scammers use is to call people at work. Very easy to get people's work numbers. Scammers buy all kinds of lists. Think of the many times you've filled out a form (online or off) that asked for your work and home phone.

The FB element is a new wrinkle but it seems a logical one for them to take.

Report it as others have suggested. But I wouldn't worry about it too much. Most likely it's just your garden variety phone scammer. He'll move on once he sees you're not an easy mark.

a reply to: Dianec

You could create a disposable email account on something like google for example, and tell him to contact you by this email account for privacy. THen check the header to find his IP address then go to a IPTRACKER site and it will give you a pretty good idea of his location. This will at least let you know the country, state, and most likely city of origin. If you can't resolve this IP address for tracking call the authorities and don't mess around.

..isn't facebook great?

it's probably some dillweed you already know..
if the stranger guy wanted to hurt you he's supposedly had 3 weeks to do it, so far it's all just messing with your head, and isn't that what friends are for..?
/looks at the guy who set up a 'date' at the movies with his buddy

let us know how it turns out?

a reply to: Snarl

I didn't get a chance to report it today as it was crazy busy, but I think your right in that only I can keep me safe. He is still posting messages to me as I just checked but the only bothersome calls that came in today were hang ups and those were from 800 numbers.

I just checked my FB again to actually read the latest message. His old messages (6/13 and 6/28), have disappeared (took a screenshot so it's ok they are gone ), and there is a new one from Friday. However - I just checked this last night and there was nothing from Friday 7/4. Its super weird. My kid is going to change my password and figure out how to block this individual. I just hope it doesn't set him off.

Yes - I've noticed other stuff. But I assume its me. For example, Sunday night I was unable to find a basket of items I had sitting near my sofa. I absolutely know that's where it was (had been for a week). I still haven't found it and am baffled. There is nowhere else to look.

I can't think of anything other than a lot of calls I made today that ended up at different places - but not sure if spoofing can work that way. That was well after the two hang up calls this morn. It was annoying more than anything. I had a blueberry bush ripped out of its spot but assume a neighborhood cat did this. Just little stuff. I really can't think of much more right now but I will keep an eye out.

I had a hard time sleeping last night due to hearing every noise possible. I feel a little silly because I am thinking the chances of this being anything bad are likely slim. However it is always good to be vigilant. I appreciate your advice. Many thanks for that.

a reply to: 0bservant

I haven't googled how to block yet for this very reason - just in case the police want to track him. I agree with some others in here, its probably just a phone scammer whose also gotten into my FB. I just want to make sure it's not something more sinister.

originally posted by: muSSang
Haha, do you have any friends that like to play pranks?
I made a false account before, cut and paste some pics of a hot girl and added a couple of mates, not long after that all my mates were adding me, some thought they knew me from school, I even had a mate meet me for a date at the movies, when he seen me, he went red haha.

Good luck, and never attach a phone number to your Facebook account.

All my friends know I get on Facebook maybe once a month to check for messages. I don't think anyone would do that. I'm a pretty boring person in that regard.

My phone number isn't on FB. He must have tracked me down through my career profile.

a reply to: Dianec

I dont do FB anymore but am in LE and Security. Report it to FB at the least. You may not be the only one he's doing this to. And you also have no idea what he is cabable of...or WHERE he's located.(Living, sending things...and God forbid...stalking people).


Report this and any other more instances of it. Try not to worry too much either. This world sadly is filled with knuckle heads these days.

Good luck, stay safe. REPORT IT!

MS

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Ok I just reported it. The lady said it sounded like something they will want to investigate. I have the local number he called me from and FB stuff so they can have at it. I felt stupid doing it but am now glad I did. Ill report back if any news comes of it. And thank you.

a reply to: Dianec

Dont feel stupid. You did the right thing. You helped yourself and possibly someone else down the line. Its a good thing. Always, ALWAYS...report anything like that.

Its the best thing to do...

a reply to: mysterioustranger

An officer came by to take some info to pass onto the FBI. I was surprised with the visit. One thing he saw happening was back logging. A new message was on FB that was from Friday (4th), but not present last night (so how has FB time stamped it for Friday). Also - the other messages have disappeared. This made him think of a potential virus attack using FB so if that's the case maybe they can get in front of it.

He also found it off that the guys messages sounded as if he was trying to date me. If only he could have heard the way he spoke to me on the phone. It's likely a new approach at a scam but it did concern him. Con artists and crooks are getting more savvy with their technology, and I'm super behind on that so that isn't a good mix.


One final comment is that he wrote with some broken English and spoke in a way that didn't flow well, yet his punctuation was impeccable. Commas all in the right spots, etc.. I would think a foreigner would flub up some of those mechanics of writing. It's just been a weird experience overall. Hope they figure if out.