How Do I Tackle This?

I think you should steer clear - what a scam!

Sounds like her e Mail has been hacked, or her phone, or something.

It may also be that she was desperate and had tried other people who’d turned her down so she tried you?

Yes, I'd agree with Calendargirl, it sounds as if her Facebook/Messenger account may have been hacked. I'd give her a ring and tell her what happened.

I've considered all of these things. I just can't understand what is going on and what to do next.

Calendargirl, thank you. I think I will call her first thing tomorrow morning. She is a part owner of the salon.

No, it's not her.

She has been hacked.

A friend sent an email saying he was stuck in Bulgaria with no money; could we send him some so that he could get back home!
DH's cousin recently asked for help too - she needed a loan.

Of course they didn't.

Let her know - by phone,

Ignore it......forget it.......go for your haircut and don't mention it!

WM

Yes, I received an e Mail from an acquaintance recently asking if I was ok. I replied yes. Then another one asking me to buy some Amazon gift vouchers for a nephew, £400.

Knew it was iffy as he would never have spent that on a relative!

Rang him, yes, hacked e Mail.

Am sure yours will be the same.

PollyDolly

Ignore it......forget it.......go for your haircut and don't mention it!

Noooo! Please don't ignore it. Or forget it. And definitely mention it to her. If her Facebook account has been hacked, she needs to know so that she can get it sorted out and let people know not to respond to begging requests.

I'd do that too PollyDolly.

Ive received one or two of these in the past - always a scam. It’s worth contacting the person to tell them as it’s probably gone to all their contacts.
Ive had the amazon voucher one and also the one where they are supposedly on holiday and had their wallet nicked.

EllanVannin

I'd do that too PollyDolly.

No!

You must let her know asap

Another one is sending a video saying you need to see this as I think you are in it. That nearly fooled me as it was a close relative and I’m sufficiently self centred and vain to be curious. But something weird about the request stopped me in time.

Thanks everyone. I have been Googling this and it looks like a hacking scam. I will contact her tomorrow. I wish I'd done this on Friday but I was so shocked and didn't know what to think. If it had been from someone I know well I'd have telephoned them instantly. Not knowing this person actually made this a really difficult situation for me.

No don’t ignore you must tell her I ve been hacked on FB (nothing about money) but it’s ever so annoying and she needs to know she can let others in her messenger list know

A "safe but tactful" way of replying could be to say, "We'll talk about this when I see you next!" and to phone the person concerned directly to ask whether it was genuine or a hacker. Then if it is genuine (unlikely!) you haven't reacted by shrieking "Scam! Scam!" at a friend in need, and if is a scam (very likely) you haven't committed yourself. Try to get their phone number and report it.

Good idea Elegran

Why the need to be tactful? I would just call her - or even go and see her - and tell her what you've told us, that the request threw you because you don't know her that well and you can't think that she would ask you for a loan. That way, even if it was her (which is unlikely) then she knows you won't be up for lending money to people you hardly know.

It's a classic hack and scam

I suspect her messenger has been hacked. I have had a couple of those from friends.

well obviously not friends - from friend's accounts

This asking for a loan, or especially a email asking for money because of a wallet stolen abroad has happened to us years ago, luckily we knew the person concerned would never ask for money.
So it was a definitely a scam, but it made us feel very uncomfortable.

pollyperkins

Another one is sending a video saying you need to see this as I think you are in it. That nearly fooled me as it was a close relative and I’m sufficiently self centred and vain to be curious. But something weird about the request stopped me in time.

I had one of these messages from a very close friend and I did click on it without thinking. Luckily at that point I was directed to a funny sounding website and asked to join it in order to watch the video. That warned me and I closed the message. I was a bit worried about having opened the message but it was fine, the error would have been to have gone to the website.

You really cannot be too careful.