Weird, unheard of email problem, help!

Aaron

Lieutenant
Nov 3, 2016
544
200
0
Colorado
Ride
Silver 2013 335is 6MT
Hey guys, could definitely use some advice on this one. Had the same Gmail account for like 15 years, never had an issue. I do a lot of financial stuff on it.

A few days ago my property manager sends me, and only me, an important email asking about how to pay me. She has a company domain. I got the email, but did not reply to it.

Come to find out, someone with an extremely similar email REPLIES to the property manager's original email, pretending to be me. This person used aarronzz34, whereas I am aaronz34. Property Manager thought it was me, and was about to send funds, but luckily caught it first.

Any idea how this happened? Who's end it's on?

I use a Gmail account, a couple devices (Windows and an Android phone with Gmail app).

Property Manager uses several devices on Apple platform.
 

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,303
4,331
0
AZ
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2009 E93 335i
Well first, how did you catch it? Secondly, I am wondering if the property manager made a mistake and sent the email to two addresses somehow, and the other person said, "hell, why not"
 

Aaron

Lieutenant
Nov 3, 2016
544
200
0
Colorado
Ride
Silver 2013 335is 6MT
I know the PM personally, and when I was at the office she asked me "Who is this Juanita Garcia that you want the money sent to?"

I don't think that's the case, but I have no idea. Her email showed she originally sent it to only me via my proper email.

I'm well aware of scams and everything, but this is something I've never even heard of. The PM is blaming my account, saying I got hacked, but I've got no other evidence of that.
 

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,303
4,331
0
AZ
Ride
2009 E93 335i
I know the PM personally, and when I was at the office she asked me "Who is this Juanita Garcia that you want the money sent to?"

I don't think that's the case, but I have no idea. Her email showed she originally sent it to only me via my proper email.

I'm well aware of scams and everything, but this is something I've never even heard of. The PM is blaming my account, saying I got hacked, but I've got no other evidence of that.

I wouldn't put it past anyone but that is a very specialized attack. But lets be honest, they wouldn't need to use another email address if they already had access to yours. They would simply send a message and clear the outbox and monitor it for any incoming mail and delete it immediately so you'd likely never see it.