Clever and aggressive Nigerian scam

OK, here's a new one for the books. You have to admire them though.

Here's how this retelling of the classic Spanish Prisoner scam works: somebody breaks into your hotmail account, most likely by phishing. They then send an "emergency" email to everybody on your contacts list claiming to be you. The email says that you were attending a conference in Nigeria, and that you'd lost your passport, tickets and money. The letter asks you to wire some emergency money to your friend in Nigeria. Step three, profit!

See this article in Rediff: Nigeria Calling: Indians Beware.