SCAM ALERT! Scammers hacked my cousin's FB account & others
DON'T SEND MONEY!!!
SCAM ALERT! Scammers hacked my cousin’s FB account & others. Facebook & other social media accounts are being HACKED, and scammers are posting stuff like their uncle is moving to a rest home and doing liquidation sales with items priced super cheap. DON’T BUY IT!!! Do not send money!
Scammers will ask for down payments via Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, and Zelle. One of my cousin’s friends did it & just lost $2000.
I thought it was real, and so did my dad, and we almost sent down payments for vehicles priced very low. There were several red flags, so I started doing some checking. Sure enough, it’s a common scam.
People aren’t careful with their Facebook or other social media account passwords, or they get phished, and their accounts get hacked; scammers then post whatever they want to get money from the hacked person’s family and friends.
When a person from a hacked FB page contacts you via Messenger, report the message and use the “Other” selection and choose “Hacked.” I did it, and Facebook just took down my cousin’s account.
The “uncle in a nursing home/rest home selling cars” post on Facebook is a widespread phishing and financial scam. Hackers compromise or clone a local person’s Facebook account, then post a heart-wrenching story about an uncle moving to a care facility or passing away, forcing a quick-sale liquidation of vehicles, tools, or trailers at unrealistically low prices. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Red Flags to Watch For
The Sob Story: An emotional narrative about an elderly relative entering a nursing home, hospice, or care facility.
Too-Good-To-Be-True Deals: High-value items, trucks, or multiple vehicles listed at massive discounts.
Deposit Demands: Insistence that you send an upfront deposit via Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or gift cards to “hold” the vehicle because the seller is out of town.
Disabled Comments: Scammers often limit who can comment or push you straight to Facebook Messenger to talk privately. [1, 2, 3, 5]
How the Scam Works
Once you express interest, the scammer claims high demand and demands a small or large deposit to secure the vehicle. If they provide an address for pickup, it is often a random or fake location. Once the electronic payment goes through, the “friend” or “seller” blocks you and disappears. [1, 2, 3]
Be aware. This is happening RIGHT NOW. That’s it! Have a great week and beware of scammers! If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!!!