What is a Facebook Scam?

Protect yourself from potential scams

The following transcript is from a genuine conversation in Facebook Messenger between popular Creative Friends character & 'baddie g-nome' Gerome and a new 'friend' who had just asked to be friends about an hour previously.

As you can see the conversation moved to a third person halfway through. Please note although the details here prove this was pretty obvious this was a scam and the responses, ridiculous as they were, were accepted as being 'true', the format of the conversation was convincing.... until they asked for money!

Also, be aware that this scam was/is quite specific there are plenty more out there.. take a look at the following and have a giggle, but do take on board the audacity of these scammers.

Over to you Gerome ....

CONVERSATION WITH THE ‘’FRIEND’’

CONVERSATION WITH THE "AGENT’’

{Remembers folks, donts be givin yer details to no-one you donts know}

{Really??????   I's just made all dat nonsensicality up}

{I's sent ova sum random pictoor of sums random cowboy I'sa sourced off da interweb}

{Uh-Oh!......... Here's we go.................}

{If’s you don’t smell a rat by now yous should gets your smell bone checked!}

{Don’t’s ever Bank Transfer money unless yous knows who you is transferrin' to..

 Your bank cant's undo the transfer back to you!}

{This is the perfect scam. You gives dem dat code off dat voucher and BAM! Your moneys gone! They activate the code on some random fake account, and you are left with nuffin}

{Told ya'll !!!!!!!!!!!}

24 Hours Later

[[Random pictures of individuals holding ‘novelty cheques’ received, too low quality to know if they have been photoshopped]]

{Anyone who tries tries dis hard to gives you free money, MUST have an ulterior kinda motives huh}

At this point the ‘’scammer’’ has given up, he/she is gonna go look for an easier target

PLEASE don’t let it be you

Tips:

·        IGNORE ALL messages from people you don’t actually know who start asking random questions, especially personal ones

·        NEVER share personal details especially banking or financial with ANYONE online using Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Twitter, BB messenger, in fact ANY social media messaging platform

·        If you don’t remember entering the Outer Jumbodian National Lottery, and you get a message saying you have won, but need to pay a $1000 dollar retainer to release the funds, it’s a scam… these lottery wins ALWAYS are.. If you don’t remember entering, it because you didn’t!

·        REMEMBER: ALL law enforcement officials ANYWHERE in the world WILL NOT contact you via social media. This is the same for other public bodies such as councils. Similarly stock brokers, and ‘Crypto-currency’ dealers WON'T legitimately offer you the ‘deal of a lifetime’ in a social media message. Oh, and solicitors acting for Sudanese Prince’s don’t do business on Messenger either. (Not a flippant statement. I have been contacted by a person purporting to be acting for a member of Sudanese royalty requiring to find a safe Banking Partner to move his millions of dollars… yeah right!). Professional bodies will generally contact you by traditional methods, telephone, letter etc

·        Anyone who tells you they have fallen in love with you and live in a foreign country, or have just retired from the North American Military, and want to come see you, but need you to transfer the air fare, because their money is in bonds and they cannot access it until they arrive here, then say that because their visa has expired they need you to transfer them more money to fast track their visa application faster……. You see where this is going

·        NEVER EVER EVER Bank Transfer your money to ANYONE unless you know who they are, know where the money is going and are able to contact the person if anything goes wrong. Banks CANNOT REVERSE BANK TRANSFERS!! If you are unsure, ask a family member, trusted friend, or your bank. You CANNOT be too safe

·        If someone asks you to Paypal them money ‘’friends and family’’ REMEMBER, although they may not be trying to scam you, IF anything goes wrong with the transaction, you then have NO buyers protection through Paypal… just keep that in mind.

There is an old saying 

If it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck; the chances are you are looking at a duck

Yes, OK, it is funny, especially when your under 10; but the fact is  it’s absolutely true, if something doesn’t sound correct or looks strange, then trust your instinct that it’s not right

If in doubt, seek advice from family, trusted friends & neighbours, dependant on the circumstances, police, doctor, carer, banking professional, or your local Citizens Advice.

You are NEVER alone, reach out for help. Please take a moment to look at just a couple of options for help below;

Where can I go to get help or report something

Phone help

Police non emergency in the UK               Call 101

Action Fraud                                                 0300 123 2040

Citizens Advice England                             0800 144 8848

Citizens Advice Wales                                 0800 702 2020

Citizens Advice Scotland                           0800 028 1456

Citizens Advice Northern Ireland    [check the website for your local centre]

Victim Support                                             0808 168 9111

Samaritans (24hrs) free                              116 123

Age UK                                                           0800 169 6565

Website for help

Action Fraud and Cyber Crime reporting

actionfraud.police.uk

Citizens advice UK

citizensadvice.org.uk

Victim Support

victimsupport.org.uk

Samaritans

samaritans.org

Age UK

ageuk.org.uk/

You can also get assistance from your local authority. Just do a web-search for their phone numbers and/or email addresses