WACO, Texas — Scammers are getting more tricky and crafty by the second.
Heather Healy was involved in a scam when she received a text message from someone that was impersonating someone in her came career field.
She instantly caught the red flags and contacted the man being impersonated.
She also contacted the Better Business Bureau to report the incident and to get more information on how to be safe with these cyber-scammers.
BROADCAST SCRIPT:
“How does it feel knowing that there’s someone impersonating you out there?” 25 News' Heather Healy asked.
“It honestly doesn’t surprise me — it’s happening so much,” Matt Krogmeier said.
Phone scamming: anyone can be a victim.
Matt Krogmeir and Healy might have never connected with each other if it wasn’t for this incident.
“I get this text message: Heather, let me know if you’re Available! - Matt Krogmeier. For the life of me, I couldn’t remember who Matt was — his name didn’t ring a bell. My next instinct was to Google him. He works for another TV station in Kansas City," Healy said.
"I then thought, maybe I reached out to him a while back and he’s just now getting back with me. I text back asking to connect sometime next week. Then, he responds with this- and my instincts instantly tell me this is a red flag."
“They may know your social circle, they may know your friends and family, they may know names and addresses, so they achieve a certain amount on buy-in by offering that up front up front — so automatically there’s a step in the door,” said Jason Meza with the Better Business Bureau.
Meza says these hackers will do anything for you to fall for their tricks.
“We tell people if there’s some type of immediate action that’s requested without the pleasantry exchange, without the getting to know them, if it’s been a long time since you’ve connected, that can be a first indication," Meza said.
"This happens on social media as well — it’s always an immediate request for some sort of favor or advice, or moving money from one account to another or cutting a check for something. Criminals pose as the real deal sometimes."
These hackers are posing as real people, whose intent is the opposite of who they’re impersonating.
“You did by contacting me, the 100 percent the right thing," Krogmeier said.
"I would’ve never known somebody using my name."
