An elderly Four Oaks man lost money in an online scam last week.
The victim said he received a message on Facebook that he could receive a $100,000 grant because of his age. To claim the money he was told to send $950 in iTunes cards for a processing fee plus a photo of his drivers license. After doing as requested he never heard back from the individual.
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), scammers continue to con Facebook users out of their money with offers of free phony government grants.
According to the BBB, the scam usually works like this: you receive a message on how to receive free grant money from the government. This message may come from a recently added Facebook friend, a family member, or a long-term friend. The message may reference other Facebook users, or people in your friend list, that have successfully received the grant. The message may even include a link to a law office, phony government website, or a real U.S. Government website to appear legitimate. Sometimes the user sending you the message uses the name and photo of a real Government official or well-known public figure.
You are then asked to submit a payment for a processing fee. In this case last week, the Facebook message came from a person the victim knew in real life, however their account has been hacked.
