You're on any one of the Social Media platforms and get any of the following in a private DM (Direct Message):
- Friend request
- Hi, how are you
- I love your content, let's connect
- Hello, I like your photo and think you are handsome/gorgeous/beautiful/attractive (or other flattering words)
- Other phrases meant to start up a conversation.
What do you do ? Are these legit contacts or scammers?
There is a high probability that these DM messages are from scammers. If you start up a conversation with them or reply to them they will ask you to move to another platform to talk "more in private" or "I use (whatsapp, telegram or another platform) meet me over there so we can continue this and exchange photos". Don't fall for this. If you do, within the first few messages you'll get a "sob story". This sob story is meant to attack the good natured side of you. The words or phrases that they use will be any of the following or combinations of;
- Let's move to another social media platform so we can talk more.
- Will you buy me a pizza and a drink? (this is a big one. They ALWAYS start off asking for a pizza)
- I'm all alone with no one to help me.
- I can't buy any food because I'm still paying for the funeral costs.
- Can you send me money so I can get some food?
- My electricity is going to be shut off and I need a friend to help me.
- I can't pay my rent this month and need some help.
- Images sent to you are about 90% AI fakes. (AI is getting too realistic looking in what images they can generate)
- I just got my period and I don't have money to buy supplies.
- If you could send me $5, $20, $30 or other amounts, I'll send you sexy photos. I promise.
- I just lost my job and will not get a severance check until (usually a month or 2)
- I need money.
- I need bucks
- It's going to take me time to get a new job and I can't pay my bills.
- I can't return to work because I am still trying to get over the loss of my parents.
- My aunt was just in an accident and I need to go visit, but I have no money for gas.
- My Brother/Sister/other was just in an accident and I need to go visit them. (They always say the person is 1 to 2 hours away)
- I'm a makeup artist
- I'm a secretary
- I'm an office worker They will never be specific about what their job is.
- I'm an accountant and no one is hiring accountants (major lie. Accountants are one of the top jobs available all the time)
- I'll return the money as soon as I can, I promise. You can trust me.
- I've come into a large sum of money but the lawyers are holding it up. (some have said they'll give me their lawyers name to verify, yeah right)
- If you don't help me, I'll hurt myself. I need help.
- oops, wrong number, but I like your voice. (I normally do not answer my phones (cell business) and let them go to voicemail.) It's a form of screening calls.
- Let me send you a sample of the images I want to share with you once you send me money.
- I promise, I would never lie to you.
- I just broke up with my boyfriend and don't know where to turn.
- They're going to repo my car, I don't know where or who to turn to. If you ask what's the car make and model, most likely they will change the subject.
- I'm going to be evicted by my landlord.
- Let me call you, what's your phone number. It's easier to talk on the phone.
- I have no money for food, I'm going to starve. Offer to send them a box of food or do a food drop from a local store. They'll ignore you and change the subject.
These catch phrases are an indication that you have been contacted by a scammer. Probability is very high. Their main goal is to entice you to send them money because of some hardship that has befallen them.
How to protect yourself from these scammers:
- DO NOT send them money in any form. Apple Cards, Gift Cards, etc.
- Most definitely DO NOT send them anything from a bank account using Paypal, Venmo or any other payment form. Once you send them something, they have your name and/or Personal lnformation, as well as the Bank you use and in some cases, the account number you sent it from.
- If you do not know the person who messaged you, take any private message sent as a high probability it is a scammer.
- If you do not know them personally and they no not say who they are and where you know them from, assume a scammer has contacted you.
- Read the words they use. Many scammers are not from the US and have horrible english skills.
- Look for words that do not make sense. Example: i's boke an in ned of bucks. You gat to belve me.
- If they send you a photo to entice you, it's most likely not of them. It could be Artificial Intelligence generated photos.
- Remember, a Social Media Scammer is out to entice you to follow them, get you to feel sorry for them, ignore advice from you and try to get you to send money to them.
- DO NOT send them bitcoin or any other digital currency. Think about this, if they are in that bad of a hardship, why are they asking for a traceable digital currency exchange? Remember, all Digital Currency is traceable. They can open an account and close it faster than you realize. Bogus accounts are widespread.
- Look for email addresses or usernames that contain a name then numbers or name and numbers with letters. Example: Mary459182 or Mary45F2BcD
- If they say that they don't have anyone close to confide with, this is also an indication that you have been contacted by a scammer.
- If you are elderly, you are the most targeted. Be extra cautious who you talk with or correspond with.
- Lock down your Social Media account to only those you know. Do not allow messages or contacts from anyone else.
- You can block the unknown contacts to your social media account. Learn how to do this.
- If the image(s) that they send look like a porn star, it probably is. Scammers steal other peoples images to say this is them. Don't believe what you see.
Be alert and aware that Social Media is FULL of scammers. There are tools available for them to create accounts on the fly. Many Social Media Platforms try to block this from happening, but it's an uphill battle for them.
- Looking to start a conversation
- Presents a sob story almost from the initial contact.
- Looking to scam you out of your hard earned money.
- Looking to learn where you work, who you work for, how much do you get paid, etc.
- The number that they called from has no caller ID. It can also be a number they used from someone else. This is a scammers delight.
- Email addresses are always from GMAIL. They can spin up emails very quickly and then close them and pop up under some other free email service.
The scammers today have a huge arsenal of tools they can use against you. Be aware, be alert and if someone or something does not look right, do one or all of the following:
- call your local Police,
- Reach out to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center
- and if you sent any money, contact the FTC immediately.
The ONLY way to stay safe out there is to report scammers and learn how they present their scams.
Stay safe out there!