BBB warns Facebook messages telling of winnings are bogus

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Better Business Bureau says to watch out for messages on your Facebook account.

The BBB says area consumers are being contacted through Facebook Messenger and told they have won money or a grant but there are fees required to receive them.

According to the BBB, a Whitley County Facebook user says a Facebook “friend” messaged her that her name was on a list to receive a “windfall” and gave her an out-of-state phone number to text for details.

In another incident, a Facebook user emailed the BBB to say that a woman messaged her that she’d won money from Publisher’s Clearinghouse, but must pay a $200 fee to receive it.

A Boyd County Facebook user was told by someone through Messenger that she could get financial help from a legitimate charitable group but led her to a phone number to text that was not that group at all. The BBB says they too, wanted a processing fee.

The BBB says this is a common scam exploiting the ties that Facebook users have with other Facebook “friends.”

Scammers will “hack” or replicate a user’s account, then send messages to everyone on that person’s Facebook friend list. This increases the chances that someone could fall for a scam, because the message came from someone they believed was a person they know.

The BBB reminds the public that legitimate notifications of prize winnings or grants do not come via social media and it is illegal to require a fee to collect a prize.

The BBB has these tips to help protect against Facebook scams:

· Don’t believe everything you read on Facebook Messenger, even if it appears to be from someone you know and trust…especially if it involves receiving or sending money.

· Don’t automatically accept new Facebook Friend requests with names you know without first verifying that the person isn’t already on your “friend” list. If he/she is, it could be a sign that his/her account has been hacked.

· To help protect your Facebook account and “friends” list, go to “privacy settings” and choose the option to make your “friends” list visible to “only me” rather than “public.”