Cornerstone Group © 2023 Con Artists Use Facebook Messenger to Contact Victims Other versions of this scam will ask you to complete an application form that requires personal information such as your address and Social Security number. How do scammers manage to look like someone you know on Facebook Messenger?They either hack a Facebook account or create a separate lookalike profile by stealing photos and personal information. On a related topic, also be on the lookout for messages about grants that claim to be coming from the federal government. Keep the following tips in mind: • Government agencies communicate through the mail, not through Facebook. Be very cautious of any unsolicited social media posts as well as phone calls, text messages, or emails you receive. • Don’t pay any money for a “free” government grant. If you have to pay money to claim a “free” government grant, it isn’t really free. A real government agency won’t ask you to pay a processing fee for a grant that you have already been awarded. • Be wary of look-a-like government agencies. Just because the caller says he’s from the “Federal Grants Administration” doesn’t mean that he is. There’s no such government agency. Rainbow wants to help you avoid falling victim to scammers. “Like” and “Follow” us on Facebook to see our periodic posts about scams reported in our area. Gobble Up This Turkey Trivia Want to impress your guests? Share a few of these fun facts about turkey while you’re gathered around the table this season: • The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, which is about the size of a large dog. • When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin sat down to eat their first meal on the moon, their foil food packets contained roasted turkey and all of the trimmings. • Americans consume about 17.6 pounds of turkey per person every year. • Wild turkeys can fly for short distances at speeds of up to 55miles per hour and can run 20miles per hour. • M ale turkeys (toms) gobble, but female turkeys (hens) do not. Hens make a clicking noise instead. • I t’s estimated that a turkey has about 3,500 feathers at maturity. • The red fleshy bits hanging off turkeys’ beaks are called snoods, not to be confused with wattles, the fleshy bits under the neck. If you need help preparing and cooking your turkey, you can contact the turkey experts at Butterball during November and December. Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372) or text 844-877-3456. The Better Business Bureau cautions people to be aware that con artists are using Facebook Messenger to promote phony grants. Here’s how the scam works: You get a Facebook Messenger chat that looks like it’s from a friend or relative. The message will claim you qualify for “free grant money” from the federal government or other organization. The catch is that you need to pay upfront first. The con artist will claim the money pays for “delivery” or “processing.” You’re entitled to free grant money from the US Government. Would you like to claim it?
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