Facebook Government Grant Scam

Erica –

Victim Location 43207

Total money lost $5,000

Type of a scam Government Grant

I got a Facebook message from my friend. She told me she got a grant for $150,000. I was given a phone number to text, not call. And I texted the number. I was offered free grant money. He asked my name, address, phone number. He told me not to say anything or I would have trouble with the IRS. He said I need to send $1500 on an Amazon card. He said the $1500 was to get the ball rolling. He told me to go to Walmart or wherever I could get to. So, I borrowed $1500 from my son, told him it was for a Grant. I told him Mary got one for $150,000 and I was going to try to gt it. I told him a guy on the phone was pestering me. I went to Kroger, on S High, Great Southern. Kroger didn’t ask any questions, so I bought 3 cards. I brought them home, scratched them off and took a picture of the receipt and the back of the cards and sent them to him. He wanted more money. He said he needed it for fees. I said no, I don’t have it. Then I borrowed $1200 from my daughter’s savings and $300 from my husband. I went to Krogers on Parsons Ave and bought Amazon cards. I took them home, took pictures of the cards and the receipt and sent them to James Robert Wilson. All this time, I thought i was talking to my girlfriend Mary. He said he lives in Washington DC and dispatches out of Columbus, OH. He said he needed more money for fees and disclosures. Then he sent me code numbers, so I sent them back. I went to the Fifth Third Bank on S High yesterday and withdrew $1500. He wanted $1000 to drive the money out to me. I tried to use my online banking and couldn’t, so I went back into the bank this morning, and they told me they closed my account. I am online with him now, and I told him he is a fraud, and he said "Who Me?" I don’t know the number.

Dane –

Victim Location 83713

Type of a scam Government Grant

Scammer is hacking others Facebook accounts proceeding to tell friends that there is a way to get money from the government by signing up for personal assistance grants. The scammer asks for your full name, career, how much you make, next of kin, etc.

Carla –

Victim Location 45342

Type of a scam Government Grant

I initially was sent this message on Facebook’s "message" site. They printed the

name of a friend who they said won the money. And I was now eligible.

This went on for a while….until I talked to my friend and he said it was a scam.

Because of 5 or 6 hacks, I closed my Facebook account. I then received these text messages

from 917-725-5376 regarding the same "Government Fraud."

I took photos of the text messages with my husband’s phone and hopefully they are attached.

One of my girlfriends was contacted also.

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