There is a scam making the rounds again. Just another variation of an older scam. It starts out something like this: “Have you heard about the U.S Federal Government Assisted Grant Fund program (U.S FGAGFP?”
I just got this message after accepting the friendship request from someone I thought was an old friend, Lynne. This person told me a little more, and I started getting suspicious because it didn’t really sound like Lynne. When I looked at her profile there’s almost no information even though we were friends. I see she has a lot of friends although I suspect it’s a fake profile.
I googled that question above, the one “she” sent in messenger, and came up with several hits including this one partly quoted below.
http://www.dunncountyextra.com/police-chief-warns-citizens-new-facebook-scam/
“The current scam about “grants” actually first popped up last year according to facebook. It is just a variation on the theme of stealing your identity (see, www.facebook.com/scamdb). The message that Chief Braathen got is not unique. Your new “friend” simply went to a facebook page with public information including your name as their “friend” and warm, fuzzy personal photos which you have already “liked”. They then set up their own bogus facebook page including those photos, etc. So, after you “friend” your new friend when they contact you the first time, the message you get back will start off with a few lines about the weather, the new job, the kids and the warm fuzzy stuff. Then, something like this: “OK, have you heard about the good news yet? No? I was just wondering if you have heard about the 2014 empowerment program in conjunction with facebook and the federal government to help…” The thief will then claim that they got their “grant” and, saw your name on the list of eligible recipients too. That’s why they found you on facebook. They then provide contact information for an “agent of the federal government” or a “representative of facebook” to contact to sign up. A facebook contact link is then touted as the best way to make contact the agent with “a private message”.”
Starlisa Black Photography 