'She convinced me’: Wadesboro woman says scammers tricked her out of $1,500

WADESBORO, N.C. — Connie Plyler says she had a Facebook friend — someone she’s never met — and that the person suggested she apply for a special federal grant and told her who to message.

Plyler says the scammer gave her a fake certificate promising her a $50,000 grant and said all she had to do was pay $850. She did so in gift cards.

Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke asked her if it sounded too good to be true, and she said: “Yeah, but at the time, it’s the way she was talking. She convinced me into doing it.”

[ALSO READ: Report: Top 5 Email Scam Subject Lines Right Now]

Then, Plyler says the scammer asked for more money.

“They told me I had to pay $1,700 more for taxes and (a) clearance fee for the FBI to release the money,” Plyler said.

She told Stoogenke that it didn’t smell right, but she still sent the money, just not all $1,700. She said the scammer then told her the cards weren’t working and to buy more. That’s when she realized it was a scam.

She says she lost “probably about $1,500.”

Plyler says she’s having a lot of garage sales to try to make that money back.

“It’s just an honest mistake, but I don’t want it to happen to nobody else,” she told Stoogenke. “But I don’t want nobody to have to lose that amount of money.”

At last check, the Federal Trade Commission counted more than 900 victims across the country and almost $1 million in losses total this year.

The government is giving out all sorts of money because of the pandemic, such as stimulus relief, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Lost Wages Assistance, funds through the Paycheck Protection Program and even $335 for many parents.

So you may be more likely to believe it if someone contacts you, saying they are with the government and promises you money, you don’t have to pay back.

Small business owner says SBA call flagged as potential spam Small business owner says SBA call flagged as potential spam

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