Scammers hack woman’s Facebook
By Joylyn Bukovac
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — What if strangers kept knocking on your door asking for furniture and puppies? One Mount Juliet mom says that’s been happening to her for months because scammers hacked her Facebook account. Her 12-year-old son is terrified to be at home because of what these scammers have done.
“The mental anguish I go through every day. It’s hard, and I just need help,” Jennifer Henegar said.
This nightmare started in October when she thought she was reconnecting with a friend from high school on Facebook.
“Then she asked, saying I’m selling Juice Plus. Can you send me a picture of you holding your driver’s license so I can prove that you are supporting my MLM,” Henegar explained. After she sent a photo of her holding her driver’s license, she quickly realized she wasn’t talking to her friend. Instead, she was talking to a hacker.
“Then, in about two minutes, they “she” sent a message saying, ‘I’m going to send you a code, and it’s to give you a discount for your first order. Can you send me that code so that we can let our upline know?’ And so I did that. The code was my Apple ID,” Henegar said that’s all they needed to hack her phone to access all her personal information. Next, they took over the Facebook account she’s had since 2009. Henegar has since made a new account.
“Honestly, I think that [Facebook account login] has been sold on the black market because it is a good profile, and that’s scary. It’s affecting my child. They have messaged my child on kid’s messenger acting like me,” Henegar said.
Soon, people were stopping by her home asking for the furniture and puppies they bought from her online.
“Some have spent $80 on a deposit or a “rehoming” fee,” Henegar said. “I have a friend in Wyoming send over $900.”
Henegar says the scammers tell most people to pick up the items they paid for on weekends.
“Over the weekend, I can’t relax because my doorbell rings, and my anxiety increases. My camera goes off my anxiety goes up. My phone rings, or messages pop up from people I don’t know. I get stressed.”
If you buy something on Facebook from someone claiming to be local, pay for the item when you pick it up. To stay safe, meet in public during the day and bring a friend.
Make sure your personal information on social media is private, including your friend’s list. Set up two-factor authentication for your social media accounts to secure your profiles.
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