Local pastor's email hacked - he is safe at home

The Ridgecrest Neighborhood Association reports that Pastor Ruhlman, from Tabernacle Baptist Church in the Ridgecrest Neighborhood, did not send an email message telling people that he was robbed at gun-point and is stuck in the Philippines - and he does not want you to send money to him there.

Pastor Ruhlman is safe and sound, here in the US.

This particular email scam has been around for years, but if you have never received one, it can be very convincing. You receive an email from someone you know, from their correct email address. The message says that they are visiting in a foreign country (logical in the summer, right?), and they have been robbed of their money and passport. They need just enough money to get to the nearest American Embassy - and can you please wire them money?

The victims respond to the stress and urgency in the message and act quickly to come to the rescue, only finding out later that they have been scammed.

Usually the person whose email was hacked has no idea any of this is happening. However, in Pastor Ruhlman's case there was an evil twist. Whoever hacked his address book not only sent the Rescue Me message to everyone in his address book, they deleted all his addresses.