LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — When Barbara Tester recently opened Facebook messages from her brother and ex-brother-in-law she couldn’t believe the opportunity in front of her eyes. They each told her they were able to claim at least $50,000 from a grant fund, and she wanted in. It seemed too good to be true…and that’s because it was.
Tester said even though the messages came from her brother and ex-brother-in-law’s Facebook accounts, and it wasn’t really them.
The messages from both of Tester’s family members’ accounts referred her to a Facebook user named “Williams Mark 03” to claim her share. In her case she was led to believe she was getting $140,000.
“I’m not that smart with the computer said I don’t know” said Tester, admitting she acted quick.
Tester continued the process and messaged Williams Mark 03. The back-and-forth conversation led Williams Mark 03 to tell Tester that she was approved for a “grant with the Department of State Assistance.”
“He said I’ll have the money in 12 hours,” explained Tester. Williams Mark 03 told her to send a picture of her driver’s license to validate her identity. Williams Mark 03 even sent images of wads of cash and mail rooms as “evidence” this was legitimate, and she would get paid. He even told Tester this is not a scam.
“He said I have to go to CVS and Walmart and buy four $100 gift cards,” said Tester. “Then it clicked to me, hello it’s a scam, but I already gave him my driver’s license.”
Not only that, Tester also provided her…
