In recent months, we have seen a rise in a specific type of scam. We here at Kelly Community hope to give you the tools to protect your money from would-be thieves!
Scenario:
You are scrolling Facebook marketplace and see that a friend is selling something you want for a very low price. You inquire and they tell you it’s for sale and that you can purchase it with either Apple Pay or Venmo. When you buy it, the item never arrives, and you can’t get in touch with your “friend.” Unfortunately, that’s because your friend’s account was hacked and you didn’t send money to your friend. You actually got robbed!
What You Should Do:
There are a number of ways to prevent this kind of scam:
- Before you purchase anything from a friend online, do what you can to verify it actually is your friend. If you have their number, call or text them to ask about the item. Contact them outside of social media.
- Don’t ever put a deposit down or pay for something that you haven’t seen in person.
- Be suspicious of anyone asking for payment through an unusual method (gift card, wire transfer, etc.). And be aware that when you pay someone through Apple Pay or Venmo, you do not get your money back, even if it’s a scammer.
- Check the price of the item elsewhere to make sure it’s competitively priced. If it’s exorbitantly low, it could be a sign of a scam.
- Talk to the person like they are your friend. If something seems off about their response, it could mean the account was hacked.
If you have any questions about the above, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to help because we care for you like family!
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