Facebook Scam Leaves Users Swindled Out of Thousands
For three days, Lesa Lowery watched helplessly as a fraudster impersonated her on Facebook, scamming her friends out of thousands of dollars for non-existent goods. Despite reporting the crime to Meta, the company behind the social media giant, no action was taken to stop the scam.
Lowery, a resident of Sussex, N.B., had her account hijacked in early March by scammers posing as her. They posted fake ads selling items like hot tubs, trucks, and tractors, tricking her friends into sending deposits for these items. The scammers even went as far as deleting warnings from concerned friends and blocking them from the page.
The scam, known as an account takeover, allows attackers to post publicly and access the victim’s contacts and private messages. Cybercrime expert Claudiu Popa criticized Meta for failing to protect users from such basic scams, despite making billions in revenue.
In response to the investigation, Meta claimed to have over 15,000 reviewers globally to address potential violations on Facebook and Instagram. However, they did not explain why their systems failed to detect the retirement home scam that was rampant on the platform.
Lowery’s friend, Carol Stevens, fell victim to the scam, losing $250 in the process. Despite feeling embarrassed, Stevens reported the crime to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. The scammers continued to correspond with dozens of friends on Facebook Messenger, convincing them to send money for fake items.
Go Public confronted one of the scammers behind the fraudulent posts, revealing the extent of the scam. The fraudster, using AI-powered servers, impersonated account owners to trick users into sending deposits for non-existent items.
With cyber fraud on the rise, experts like Popa emphasize the need for regulations to hold companies like Meta accountable for protecting user data. Until then, users are advised to create shortcuts to trusted sites, avoid reusing passwords, and enable two-factor authentication to stay safe online.
Lowery and Stevens reported the incident to authorities but have yet to receive updates on the investigation. Despite the ordeal, Lowery remains cautious and has taken steps to secure her new Facebook account.
As the prevalence of online scams continues to grow, users are urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to prevent falling victim to fraudulent schemes.