Scammer hacks Facebook, tricks others with fake Swift tickets
(WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered a scam offering tickets to see Taylor Swift.
This comes to light as the Ohio Attorney General has issued a warning to watch out if you spot an incredible deal to see America’s biggest pop star.
Kathy Turle-Waldron, of Twinsburg, turned to the I-Team after she says someone hacked into her social media account and posted an offer of tickets for sale in her name.
It looked like a great deal on seats to an upcoming Taylor Swift show in Cincinnati.
“I couldn’t log in. It wouldn’t accept my password or anything. I felt extremely powerless,” she said. “I even got a phone call from an individual who was very upset with me that I hadn’t transferred the tickets yet. And, at that point, I was like, ‘Look, I don’t have any tickets. It’s a scam.’”
You might wonder why anyone would think Kathy had a legit offer to sell tickets to see Taylor Swift, but she has earned a lot of trust as a mom, a gymnastics coach, and she has even served as a school board member.
So, the fake concert deal fooled people. One victim spoke to the I-Team, explaining why she believed it.
“It was a local person who was looking to get rid of their tickets,” she said. “I wasn’t aware of the scams happening. Without that knowledge, I played into it. Between me and my sister, we lost $350 each.”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said, “I’m sounding the alarm because I’m expecting it.”
Yost issued a warning to watch out for concert ticket scams. Reports have surfaced nationwide about scams involving tickets to see Taylor Swift.
“So, if you think you’ve been scammed, we want to help. Call the attorney general’s office,” Yost said.
Kathy says someone even called her trying to get personal information.
So, we called that number. A guy claimed he could help. He also said Kathy’s account had been hacked from outside the country. Later, he texted and asked us to call back, but when we started to record the conversation, he hung up.
Plenty of crooks are trying to make a buck off of a megastar and, you see, they can be pretty slick doing it.
“I never thought it would get to the level that it did. I still can’t get into the account,” Kathy said.
Kathy says her Facebook account had been hacked. For three days we reached out to Facebook without any response.
Here are tips from the attorney general and a way to report scams:
Be skeptical of offers that are too good to be true. Sellers, especially on online marketplaces, may offer tickets at face value (or below) for events that are sold out or in high demand, but these offers may be scams. Some sellers may say they need to sell tickets quickly, falsely claiming, for example, that they have a medical emergency or an overseas military assignment.
Sellers, especially on online marketplaces, may offer tickets at face value (or below) for events that are sold out or in high demand, but these offers may be scams. Some sellers may say they need to sell tickets quickly, falsely claiming, for example, that they have a medical emergency or an overseas military assignment. Use reputable third-party resale sites. To protect yourself, deal with reputable businesses instead of individuals who are not associated with an event. Beware of websites that mimic popular ticket seller’s logos or the tour logos.
To protect yourself, deal with reputable businesses instead of individuals who are not associated with an event. Beware of websites that mimic popular ticket seller’s logos or the tour logos. Before providing any payment or personal information, do a soundcheck. Research a seller’s reputation. Search the seller’s name, username, email address, phone number and other details for information. Even if you find no negative information, don’t assume that the seller is trustworthy. Some con artists change names regularly.
Research a seller’s reputation. Search the seller’s name, username, email address, phone number and other details for information. Even if you find no negative information, don’t assume that the seller is trustworthy. Some con artists change names regularly. Be wary of sellers who change their tune on specific forms of payment. Con artists often request payment methods that are difficult to trace or recover, such as gift cards, crypto, cash or wire transfer. If you’re using a mobile wallet or a peer-to-peer payment service such as Venmo or Zelle, be sure you understand the protections the service provides (or doesn’t) before making a transaction.
Con artists often request payment methods that are difficult to trace or recover, such as gift cards, crypto, cash or wire transfer. If you’re using a mobile wallet or a peer-to-peer payment service such as Venmo or Zelle, be sure you understand the protections the service provides (or doesn’t) before making a transaction. Consider paying with a credit card. With a credit card, if a problem arises, you generally have greater protection and the ability to dispute charges, unlike some other payment methods.
Consumers who believe they have been defrauded should immediately report the details to the company they used to make the payment.
Ohioans can report scams to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioProtects.org or by calling 800-282-0515.
Source: WJW FOX 8 News Cleveland
