A Kansas woman says she’s devastated after being scammed out of $89,000.
The woman said that someone she thought was a “good friend” reached out to her on Facebook and encouraged her to apply for a grant.
She said he told her it was a world grant financial humanitarian assistance program.
He said that he had gotten $50,000 and his friend got $150,000.
Once Diana was convinced, the friend asked her to send over her personal information.
Including her Social Security number, a scanned copy of her driver’s license and her mother’s maiden name.
The woman complied.
To get the grant money, she was told to buy and ship some prepaid money cards and cell phones to various addresses.
She also paid for money transfers, all while being reassured that the money would get back to her.
Initially, she did see some money deposited in her account and thought all was well.
But then, her account was suddenly drained.
It was not the woman's actual friend who was communicating with her, but either a single or group of scammers working under the alias.
The woman filed a police report and now worries about having to file bankruptcy.
Police told her that the next time someone asks her to send money over the internet, she should contact them instead