Crime & Safety
Scammer Rips Off Westlake Woman Via Facebook: Police
Police are investigating after a con artist posed as a woman's relative and convinced her to send them money through social media.
WESTLAKE, OH — A Westlake resident was ripped off in a Facebook scam last week.
On Tuesday, the resident contacted police and explained what happened. She was on Facebook when someone claiming to be a relative contacted her via Messenger. The relative said the Westlake resident had recently won a charity giveaway, police said.
The catch? The resident had to send cash to pay for the incidentals before she could receive her payout.
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The resident sent the cash and then realized she was likely being scammed. Westlake police are now investigating the scammers.
The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs keeps a list of common scams targeting Northeast Ohioans. There are also strategies for recovering after losing money in a con.
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If you make a payment, for example, in a scam and you realize it quickly, you should try to freeze the payment through your bank, the department said. If you mailed a check, you can contact the U.S. Post Office at 1-877-876-2455, press Option 2 and report the scam and request a parcel intercept.
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