This content was created by Robert Siciliano. This content was uploaded by Robert Siciliano. This is a YouTube news segment titled "Facebook Messenger Scam Steals Thousands From Victims Friends" (Boston 25 News) published August 31, 2023. The transcript is a local TV report by reporter Drew Curtis from Marblehead featuring victim accounts from William Stone and Hannah O'Reilly about a Facebook Messenger video-call scam that captured and reused victims' video/audio to impersonate them and solicit money. The piece includes commentary from security awareness expert Robert Siciliano (CEO of ProtectNowLLC) advising verification by direct call or text, and a mention of the Better Business Bureau's guidance to avoid answering camera-on calls until verified.
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Only on Boston 25 News tonight, something that could impact just about all of us. It's a new Facebook hack to scam entire friends lists. We learned about it today thanks to an email tip.
Boston 25 News reporter Drew Curtis is live tonight in Marblehead, where a man says it was as simple as taking a Facebook Messenger video call from one of his friends.
Vanessa, he says when he answered the video call on Facebook Messenger, it was his friend's face and voice. His account was hacked in a matter of minutes, and now he says a recording of his face is being used to try to trick others.
I'm getting phone calls, uh, all day, all day from people being like, are you okay?
These screen grabs sent to William Stone show the recording of him that's being weaponized to target everyone on his Facebook friends list. He believes that video was captured earlier in the day when he accepted a video call on Facebook Messenger from a friend.
He was there and he goes, you know, what's going on, bro?
He says the video froze, the audio became muffled, and then came the messages from his friend's account asking for help. Before Stone realized it was an imposter, he was somehow locked out of his account with no way of regaining control.
It looks like whatever video that they got of me during that little conversation, they're now using that video to reach out to my friends and family members and ask for money.
It is as simple as answering A phone call. You can see them, they're there, they're talking, they're moving.
Hannah O'Reilly, who was sitting next to her husband when it happened, posted a warning on her Facebook to not fall for it. She says the scammer contacted her from her husband's account before blocking her.
That person is still on there right now pretending to be him.
The couple has been trying to contact Facebook's parent company to put a stop to it with no success, as video calls with Stone's face continue to make the rounds.
Screenshot as video on their phone or computer, they take that footage and play it for the scam victim.
Security awareness expert Robert Siciliano, CEO of ProtectNowLLC.com, says the best thing you can do to avoid falling victim is to directly call or text your friend or family member to make sure it's actually them contacting you on Facebook.
This is a very easy scam to get fooled by due to the fact that there's legit audio and legit video being used.
It's pretty awful knowing that somebody's running around trying to borrow money in my name with my face.
A spokesperson with the Better Business Bureau in Eastern Massachusetts says this is a list of scams that Facebook is familiar with. The BBB recommends that you avoid answering calls with your camera on until you know that it's legit. We're live in Marblehead, Drew Caritas for your local station, Boston 25 News.
Drew, this one looks like it could be easy for any of us to fall for, so some great information there. Thank you.
