BBB Warns: Social Media Scams Are On The Rise

Today, your BBB® heard the tale of another consumer who was approached by a fraudster on social media.  This fraudster sent a friend request to our consumer who informed BBB that it was an “old high school friend” who approached her out of the blue.

After the friend request was accepted, the “old friend” told her about a “global grant project” who would give the consumer a grant if she applied.  The fraudster posing as the old friend gave the consumer all the contact information for this grant project. The consumer did contact them and applied for the “grant” and lo and behold was “approved” for a grant.  The consumer was then told that she had to select a “Case file” from the list below.

You apply for $500 and get $25,000:00
You apply for $800 and get $35,000:00
You apply for $1000 and get $40,000:00
You apply for $1,500 and get $50,000:00.
You apply for $2,000 and get $95,000:00.
You apply for $4,000 and get $100,000:00.
You apply for $5,000 and get $150,000:00.
You apply for $6,000 and get $200,000:00
You apply for $7,000 and get $300,000:00
You apply for $8,000 and get $450,000:00
You apply for $9,000 and get $550,000:00
You apply for $10,200 and get $750,000:00
Final you apply for $20,000 get $1,000,000:00

It turned out that in order for her to receive the “grant” the consumer had to pay whichever amount she selected.  The fraudster then stated that she would receive the larger amount as the “grant.”

Read more about this scam by clicking here.