#FACEBOOK MESSENGER SCAMS HOW TO#
#FACEBOOK MESSENGER SCAMS LICENSE#

If someone sends you a Facebook message regarding a grant opportunity, it’s the most subtle sign of a Facebook grant scam that you shouldn’t miss.

#FACEBOOK MESSENGER SCAMS HOW TO#

We compiled tips on how to avoid Facebook financial assistance scams. How to avoid being scammed?įortunately, there are ways to spot this scam. They may also ask you to call or text someone who’ll give further instructions and ask for money or gift cards. To summarize, fraudsters impersonate your friend, then send you a private message regarding grants you’ve probably never heard of.īut there’s a catch because you must send money first or provide sensitive information before claiming the benefits. Fraudsters may also want your personal information, so they can commit other fraudulent acts, such as applying for loans under your name or receiving your benefits. They need your money, either in cash or gift cards. You can check out this list of institutions that can legally request your SSN. You shouldn’t give your SSN to strangers because it works as an entryway for criminals to steal your identity.

#FACEBOOK MESSENGER SCAMS LICENSE#

It’s likely that once you go to the malicious website, scammers will ask for your sensitive information, including your birthdate, credit card details, phone number, Driver’s License (DL) number, and Social Security Number (SSN). The Norton Safe Web warns users of “,” recommending you not to visit the page. Like 2 News Oklahoma did, we ran the URL in several link checkers and found that the website is highly suspicious. Fortunately, she didn’t believe the scammer.

The impersonator claimed that she received $500,000 from the website. Another victim revealed that someone impersonated her friend, and that person told her to visit “.” Publisher’s Clearinghouse (PCH) Fee Government grantĢ News Oklahoma also reported an additional tactic that scammers employ.Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant.However, she did not receive the said government assistance.Īside from the GEG grant, here are some of the bogus assistance that fraudsters may mention: Since she was already struggling due to high gas prices and inflation, Matthews ended up paying more than $900 to the scammer. The scammer gave Matthews a phone number to text, and the other person told her she would need to pay before getting the $35,000 grant. This person told her about a certain GEG grant through Facebook Messenger.

But how do these scams work?įOX13 Memphis talked to one of the victims, Jaqueline Matthews, who said someone impersonated her friend. The Better Business Bureau even reported that criminals have started using texts and calls to target more people, not only those with social media accounts. However, fraudsters are beginning to infiltrate Instagram too. We found out that Facebook users are their main target. This time, scammers use social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram to contact their victims. There have been several reports from organizations and news outlets about government grant scams.

If you don’t know the red flags, you could risk your personal information and money. Read until the end to know the most subtle sign of a Facebook grant scam you shouldn’t miss. We also read news outlets’ and government agencies’ articles on how to avoid scams, so you can protect yourself. We looked into this Facebook grant scam to understand how it works. You might not know whether you’re talking to a real friend or a fraud. It’s quite alarming that scammers can impersonate your friends. If you’re on Facebook, you might’ve heard people going around Facebook saying that you can receive government grants related to COVID-19.

Many people suffered financially during the pandemic.

Facebook messenger scams