Hey Hey and a Big G'Day to you

Just thought I'd tell you a little story of what just happened to me. I began my little holiday at the beginning of July and by the time I left Beihai on the coast I was locked out of my eddakath2@yahoo.com email address. I didn't think much of it at the time. I tried a few times to get in with no luck, so I opened a new address and found it hard to get into it each time I tried, so in the end I just stopped email all together.

A few nights ago I left the boarder of Tibet and spent a few nights on buses to get home. I was going to stay the night in Dali and continue today BUT, luckily I didn't. I arrived home 5am this morning and slept until mid day. After showering two people from my school arrived to clean my place to ready it for the next teacher. When they found me here they were very suprised and asked why I was not in Australia. I was very confused as to why they would ask this question.

They then proceeded to explain.....Bucklands in Yangshuo China had received an email FROM ME (eddakath2@yahoo.com) on the 8th August telling them that I was leaving China for Australia due to something unexpected etc etc and thanks very much etc etc and to forward all my belongings to my parents PO Box at my expense...Huh? What the!

NOT ONLY that...Bucklands emailed ME? (the other me) back asking a series of questions as to why I was leaving when I have always been happy here. On the 10th August they received a 2nd email from (me, the other me) my email address (the one I've been locked out of for over a month and a half!) just making sure they received the first email and thanks very much etc etc. So a new teacher had been arranged and was on their way tomorrow to begin on the 1st September and I was basicly out of a job and out of my little Tianyang County. I was so shocked and felt so sick. Infact I was dumbfounded and couldn't comprehend what was going on and why it was happening.

LUCKILY, after discussions I am to stay where I am and the new teacher to go elsewhere. I love it here and do not want to move for some time. Oh, they also played with my bank accounts.

So, here is what we have....it is someone close to me, A FRIEND, but not someone close enough to know that my parents closed their PO Box 2 years ago. This person must have my old travel card. BUT, they are also someone close enough for me to write to now as they knew to email Bucklands and to add in Yang Yang. I send group emails every so often but only to a selected group of people, NOT my entire address book. They must also know computers and or someone who knows computers to get into my email address in the first place. Putting all those details together, this person is my friend. There are several Chinese names in my address book, how would a stranger know to add in Yang Yang?

I must say I am living in a state of confusion at present. BEWARE of email and certain things that are to be done by email. If it HAS to be done by email, explain over the phone that you will do ONE or TWO little things extra to confirm your identity after the email. I can not explain any of the above or why someone would want to do this to me. All I know is that now I have no money left, an email address I can't get into and I am one friend less. I have contacted the Police and my bank in Australia who will do all they can to help. Other that that, there really is not much more I can do.

One day a simple sign or hint will come my way as to who this person is, it always does. One thing I have learnt in life is that you always get caught out. It may not be directly after the fact. Years may go by, but in the end wrong doings always seem to catch up with you. I haven't always been such a 'good boy' in life, I've had to learn the hard way, well I hope I've learnt! Anyhow, to whomever is reading this...be careful, be very very careful whilst playing in cyberspace. People and things around you are not always what and whom they seem!

My biggest hint: NEVER use internet cafe's for net banking!