Con artists are using social media to breathe new life into the old government grant scam. Victims who’ve contacted the AARP Fraud Watch Network report losing thousands of dollars.
Government grant scams have been around for years. But Amy Nofziger at the Fraud Watch Network says this version is different, because it starts with a message from a friend.
“A lot of the victims are saying that they’ve gotten a Facebook Messenger message from one of their Facebook friends saying that they qualified for a government grant, and they saw your name on the list, so just click this link and you can be eligible for this grant,” Nofziger explained.
Victims who click on the link and fall for the scam, don’t realize that message from their friend was from a fraudster who hacked their friend’s social media account.
“The scammer will take over someone’s Facebook page and pretend to be that person, so when the victim gets this message, it appears to come from their friend, when in fact it’s really from the criminal,” Nofziger explained. “And that’s why the victim clicks on the link, because they actually think it’s coming from someone they know and trust.”
More Info:
The AARP and the FTC have more information on government grant scams.
Government Imposter Scams on the Rise
If you get a call, text, email, or social media message and don’t know what to do, call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 before you provide an unknown caller with information or money. You do not need to be an AARP member to use this free service.
