Trading Standards is warning Facebook users to be wary of unsolicited messages after a deaf woman was targeted by a scam.
The victim received a message on Facebook that seemed to come from a friend of hers and was apparently endorsed by the National Institute for the Deaf and the World Federation for the Deaf.
Advance fee fraud
She sent money to a Western Union account on the promise of receiving a larger sum in return. The victim lost £850 and also found that she could not access her Facebook account, meaning that fraudsters could have used it to commit the same scam against others.
Facebook users are being warned not to respond to unsolicited messages that ask for personal details and money, even if they seem to be a friend. If in doubt, find another method to contact the friend, such as by calling them on a known phone number.
Read more about this Facebook scam on Croydon Council’s website.
Please note: Action Fraud is not responsible for the content on external websites.
To report a fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online fraud reporting tool.
See also:
Advance fee fraud
Lottery, prize draw and sweepstake scams
Free iPhone scam on Facebook
