By Diane Lee (WSPA)
(SPARTANBURG, SC)
There are lots of online scams out there, but this one might shock you.
Scammers are now using your Facebook friends against you.
We talked with Deanna Westmoreland, who has been a victim to this scam.
The scammers used her former Sunday school teacher’s name when they messaged her.
“She said did you hear the good news. And I said “no” what good news? And she said, I won the Facebook Lottery, $200,000. And I said, wow that’s great, cause nobody deserves it more than her.” Westmoreland said about the online conversation.
The Facebook messages encouraged Westmoreland to check to see if she had won, and so she clicked the link.
“There was a bunch of names on there and my name was on there and it said ‘not yet claimed’ and Betty’s was on there and it said claimed.”
So Westmoreland filled out a form with her full name, email and address, and when they asked for her to pay upfront taxes on the winning, this is what happened:
“I said, this is a hoax, I said tell me my first two kids names, and she said Summer and Katie, LOL, why?” Westmoreland said.
Those are her real daughters’ names, but it all happens to be on her Facebook page.
Now, her page is filled with warnings.
We talked with USC Upstate Social Media Manager, Katie Freseman, about what to watch out for.
“If you do get a friend request from someone and you feel like you’re already friends with them, you do want to double check that. Make sure that you are not accepting a friend request from an imposter.”
Now, Westmoreland’s phone won’t load any web pages, including Facebook.
“I feel violated I guess you’d say.” Westmoreland said about the scam.
And since she gave out her personal information, she’s more at risk now for other scams than ever before.
