These are words I never thought I would write. Ever. I survived two scammers. While I am relieved that I didn’t hand over the little money I have, it doesn’t make me feel any better. It makes me scared to even venture onto the internet. I may never tell the whole story of what happened, but I will reveal this. It started when I discovered that my Facebook account had been hacked.
Usually, I’m pretty savvy when it comes to scams. I know when something isn’t legit. However, this time I was desperate to get my Facebook account back. Fear is a natural part of life, and it is the last thing I need to be fearful of using the one tool I need for work. Luckily, I have people in my corner who know when something is amiss. A friend I have regular contact with told me that the scammers can go; you know what. That’s just his way of talking. I still cannot believe I was that naïve and almost lost the little life savings I have.
I have reported the two scammers to Scamwatch, the scam alert body in Australia, and blocked as much contact as possible with them. However, I can see them in my mind’s eye, screaming that they didn’t get what they wanted. I also alerted my aunt, who told my uncle and my cousin. A few hours later, I posted two posts on Instagram to alert my Facebook friends, who also follow me on Instagram, of what was happening. When I checked one of the instastory posts, I saw a nearly identical username that tried to con me into using bitcoin.
After a quick inspection, the information in the description was almost the same as the first. So I blocked, reported and removed them from the instastory. I then locked down both my accounts and removed anyone who might be a hacker from my followers list. Also, I did something similar on Twitter, though I wasn’t as thorough as I probably should’ve been. I also took a leave of absence from Twitter, and I would like to thank all my followers for the well wishes; it means a great deal to all those reading this.
I have spoken to several people about it, and they said I did the right thing in not giving the scammers anything. However, I do not want them to come after me and try to take every dollar I have, which isn’t all that much. I have even contacted IDcare, a service for those affected by cybercrimes, for help.
In all honesty, I have never been so scared. These people thrive off the money by conning innocent individuals, but things like this make me incredibly paranoid. I’m now going to be checking my bank account regularly. I’m also not going to have the same faith in social media ever again. After this, I probably won’t be unlocking my accounts. I know that might sound extreme, but I don’t like trouble. I never have. The only thing that will probably remain the same is my Substack. I have even changed my username on Project Fangirl.
The lesson I have learned is don’t trust what people tell you online, even if it is too good to be true. Not every person is the same. Some desire wealth and will do whatever it takes, even taking from others. It is tough to spot a con nowadays, primarily online. There are even some who do not care. This is why I will create an archive on what to look for. So, consider this the first post. I want Project Fangirl to be the safest place possible and to help people who have been through similar situations. I want to be as transparent as possible with methods of dealing with potential scams. Moreover, I already have several posts planned. So, be on the lookout for more.
