BEDFORD – The Bedford Police Department has been alerted to multiple online scams happening on Facebook and other social media sites by members of the community.
Scammers are taking control of actual people’s social media accounts and impersonating them. They will make posts offering to give away money out of “generosity” or as a reward for “winning” some type of game or contest.
Scammers will then contact those who interact with the posts and tell them they have “won” but the person must first send money to them through services like PayPal, Venmo, or Cash App to “claim” their prize.
Additionally, the scammers will use real photos and even videos of the people they are posing to convince the victim to go through with the scam. These real photos and videos have often been obtained through previous scams that those actual people have fallen victim to themselves.
The Bedford Police Department encourages citizens to remain vigilant and be careful about where and to whom they send money online.
If you or someone that you know has been a victim of an online scam, you can report it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation at https://www.ic3.gov/.
