The Latest Scam To Strike Idaho Involves Fake Facebook Friends

We all know that scams are prominent during the holiday season but

However, the Ada County Sheriff's Office is warning that a new scam is taking Idaho by storm and it involves utilizing the friends you "think" you have on Facebook.

Pay attention to your friends list!

The Ada County Sheriff's Office is warning us to be vigilant and aware of who we're interacting with on Facebook. Yeah, we know - it feels like 2009 all over again but here we are in 2024 and scammers are still using Zuckerberg's platform to commit illegal acts.

Apparently, scammers are going to unsuspecting victims' friends lists and copying profiles on that person's list. They then reach out to the victim and that's where the red flags really wave.

According to Ada County's Sheriff's Office, "the 'friend' mentions a $100,000 grant. These friend accounts are typically duplicated or hacked, making it appear as if the direct message is coming from their actual Facebook friend."

Then they reference you to the "pErSoN iN cHaRgE oF tHe GrAnT" and proceed to ask you to pay for a "tax" on the grant via gift cards.

It gets a little bit crazier as far as the details go but the basis of it is simple: they're taking your money via gift cards. Check out the full explanation of the scam below from our friends over at Ada County Sheriff's Office:

Crazy, right? It's unfortunate that people still resort to these tactics to make a buck but it's happening. Maybe it would be a good idea to turn your friends list to "private", huh?