Lola has been scammed! She donated to a charity through social media without doing any pre-emptive research, and now she's lost over a thousand dollars in gift cards and believes her personal information may have been stolen.
Lola has watched enough TV Scam Dramas to know that there were a lot of red flags she ignored, and probably shouldn't have. She's completely embarrassed and has kept her indiscretion quiet amongst family and friends, fearing that she'll be judged.
Now she's beating herself up, suffering in silence, and just wants to forget this ever happened. This was a lot of money to lose, but the social media page seemed so official, and the cause really spoke to her. Lola feels so silly and can't believe that she was actually caught up in a situation she only had ever seen on TV.
Did you spot the red flags?
- Lola ignored the red flags. In hindsight it's easy to see the clear red flags, but even when going through the motions, it's important to listen to those little feelings of uncertainty.
- Lola kept the incident to herself. Not only is the support of family and friends something that could benefit her at this time but sharing her story may help others not fall for the same scam.
- Lola also feared her personal information was stolen. Documenting this incident and reporting it to the proper agencies is an important next step that Lola needs to take.
What you should know about this scam
People fall for scams all the time, and it can feel embarrassing, but when you share your story with friends and family, you're better preparing your loved ones should a similar scam come their way.
When you do fall for a scam, it's important to also share the incident with your local agencies / authorities, as well. Your report can help these agencies track scam patterns and keep others from experiencing the same thing.
Scammers thrive when those they've scammed stay silent. Word of mouth and the sharing of scam stories is a simple way you can help break this cycle, bringing these scams to light so that others will not have to navigate the internet in the dark.