South Carolina Woman Scammed Online By Man Using Clever Tactic
A South Carolina woman scammed online by a man pretending to be her former classmate lost a large sum of money. The incident began in December 2020 when the two met online. He told her they attended the same high school, and they started talking online and texting. In March of the following year, the scammer told the woman he was hospitalized after a car crash. And, that’s when he asked for money. In total, the South Carolina woman scammed, lost $93,000. She sent the money in a variety of forms, including bank transfers and gift cards. She went to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in September to file a report about the scammer.
However, authorities have yet to identify or charge him. Officials point out the difficulty of narrowing in on specific locations or identities of these criminals. They mention the “dark web” as a location scammers often utilize. That’s where they find personal information on their victims. The dark web requires a special browser for access. Scammers mainly target bigger businesses we all use every day. Hackers know those sites are a treasure trove of information for them. They obtain your personal information, including credit card numbers and social security numbers. Then, they sell it or use it themselves in a scam. Authorities warn against sending money to anyone you meet online. And, a red flag is when scammers ask for funds through a pre-paid gift card.
Scammers use very clever tactics in gaining trust from the victims. I watch so many shows about people falling victim to scams and wonder how it happens so easily. However, they craft scams elaborately. And, they often prey on vulnerable people looking for online companionship. The FBI receives hundreds of thousands of complaints from around the world each year. And, victims lose billions of dollars to criminals. Whether it’s someone looking for love, or an alleged “family emergency,” victims open up their wallets. And, the scam begins.
