It was an incredible feeling; one that left me somewhat speechless for a moment. But then … oh, that’s right …
Scammers will do anything to get money. Nothing is off limits. They will BE anyone to get to you.
Have you ever “liked” or “followed” a celebrity on social media, and commented on their posts or expressed your admiration? If that celebrity private messages you on social media, and offers you money or offers you an opportunity to help “their charity”, what would you do? Hopefully, you’d stop and think about the improbability of this. A lot of people don’t. This is one way scammers latch on to a fan.
A woman in Texas sued the REAL Brad Pitt after being conned by a FAKE Brad Pitt via social media messaging. She claimed that they “developed a relationship even to the point of marriage”. The woman organized FIVE fundraisers supposedly for Pitt’s charity with each event cancelled and the scammer keeping the fees. She was cheated out of $40,000 by the imposter. She said the real Brad Pitt should have done more to protect his fans. The case was thrown out.
There were red flags. Brad Pitt contacting the person was a red flag. The relationship plans were a red flag. FIVE fundraisers that Brad Pitt failed to attend raised at least FOUR flags.
Tyler Perry has warned his Facebook followers to be cautious saying he is “not giving away anything on Facebook. I am not giving away any money.” He has asked that his followers post his scam warning so others will not be cheated, and he warns about imposter scams on his website.
Jason Aldean is another celebrity who has been “used” to scam people. His Facebook Live stream was hijacked to get fans to send money….but not to Jason Aldean. Bruce Springsteen’s name was used to scam a fan out of over $11,000. Oprah Winfrey’s name has been used to scam her fans.
Celebrities reaching out to us? It might be cool, but it’s almost certainly not legitimate. Don’t get star struck – get skeptical!
How do you protect yourself? Be aware of the following tips.
- Look for a blue checkmark by the star’s name which indicates that the site has been verified by the social network.
- Look for differences in the web address
- A low number of followers is a red flag.
- A social media message in the name of the star says you’ve won a lot of money but you need to pay a processing fee to get it.
- The message asks for a gift card, prepaid debit card, or wire transfer.
- Google the celebrity’s name with the word “scam” to see if it’s connected to any imposter schemes.
Once again – don’t be paranoid. Be cautious! Stay safe!
