OYEZ! Oyez! Oyez! Romsey’s town crier Terry Hamer has been targeted by scammers trying to obtain cash out of people he knows.

Hackers got into Terry’s emails and sent out hundreds of messages proclaiming that he and his family were mugged by a gang of thugs in Jakarta, Indonesia and were unable to pay hotel bills.

Even Romsey Town Council and the Romsey Advertiser (three times) received the messages. The emails with the subject heading ‘Sad News’ state: “My family and I made an unexpected trip to Jakarta for a programme. The programme was successful but our journey has toured sour. Everything was going fine until last night when we were mugged in an alley by a gang of thugs on our way back from shopping. All cash, credit cards and phones were stole away including some valuables items. It was a terrible experience but the good thing is that they didn’t hurt anyone or made away with our passports. I’ve reported it to the local authorities and cancelled all our cards.”

Asking for cash the fraudster adds: “I am really having some difficulties clearing our hotel bills. We’re financially strapped due to the unexpected robbery attack. I’d be indeed grateful if you can get a loan of £1,850 from you. This will enable me to sort out hotel bills, but anything you can spare pending when we get things straightened out will be appreciated and I promise to refund it back as soon as we arrive home safely. Let me know what you can do so I can tell you how to get the money to me.” Terry said the first he knew of he scam was when he switched on his computer on Monday morning.

“I opened my emails and I had a flood of them, they just kept on coming through, then I had loads of phone calls to ask if I was alive and well. I am doing a check on my computer to try and track down how they got my details,” said Mr Hamer.

He has contacted the police and Hampshire Trading Standards about the incident.

Mr Hamer who been Romsey’s town crier for more than eight years added: “What is really pleasing is people are letting me know that I’ve been spammed.

A Trading Standards spokesman said that anyone who suspected that their email accounts had been breached, or who had received a fraudulent email, should report the matter to Action Fraud via the website action fraud.police.uk. Further advice may be sought from the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506 or adviceguide.org.uk.