CHICAGO (CBS) — Only on 2.
Hackers taking your money, posing as your friends on Instagram. CBS 2’s Marissa Perlman reports one woman’s story, and the warning signs she wants you to look out for.
The woman is out $1,000 and more than the money, her identity and information are at risk. Social media has become a gold mine for crypto scams nationwide: $770 million from social media loses were reported last year alone.
The hackers can get into an existing profile studying personal details you share on social media to convince you to buy in.
Jessica M. is a mom of two and was excited when her friend of five years posted on her Instagram she’d made big cash investing in crypto. She’s asked CBS 2 not to use her last name.
“It was something else to diversify my portfolio and help my family,” she said, adding that with any investment opportunity, Jessica knew there was some risk, but she trusted her friend.
“This is when she’s saying (that) it’s 100% legitimate.”
So Jessica transferred $1,000 to her new crypto account after calling that same friend, she wasn’t talking to her friend at all. A crypto scammer had been posing as her online, messaging her contacts and stole Jessica’s money.
“It didn’t dawn on me that the friend I had known for five years had been phished,” she said,…
