No refund from Wells Fargo
Once Cascada realized the Facebook user she was speaking with wasn’t her friend, she contacted her bank.
Wells Fargo found that her transaction was valid, since she willingly sent the money and her bank account wasn’t compromised.
Plus, hackers often dump the phone numbers they use to scam people, which makes them hard to track, Wells Fargo and Zelle told WISH-TV.
But Cascada was left with a sour taste in her mouth.
“It’s really distressing that they would assure me at the very beginning that they were going to do something about it and take care of it, and told me not to worry and then they didn’t,” said Cascada. “It feels kind of like a betrayal.”
The same situation transpired for Erica Freund, who lost $1,000 to the same Facebook scheme. Fortunately in her case, her bank, Chase, was able to recover the funds and refunded the money — which they admitted is “very rare.”
Missouri resident Kayla Middlemist was also able to recover her $200 from the scam since she used PayPal’s goods and services payment option, which triggered a fraudulent activity notice and auto-refunded the money.
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Read MoreNo Swiftie spared
Lisa Gillihan of Brownsburg, Indiana found herself on the opposite side of the scam, having had her Facebook account hacked in September, she told local news station WTHR.
Taylor Swift tickets listed for sale at $500 each appeared on Lisa’s Facebook page one day, much to Lisa’s surprise.
The tickets were for the same Taylor Swift show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in November.
"I want everyone to know I do not have Taylor Swift tickets," Lisa told WTHR.
This hack was especially believable, as Lisa is an avid concert goer, she explained.
Though she wasn’t a financial victim in this case, Facebook removed her account, causing her to lose all of her personal photos and memories.
Stay safe on social media
Experts have offered a number of suggestions to keep your money safe when buying resale tickets on social media.
If resale tickets on StubHub are going for $2,000, it’s unlikely you’ll find some for $200 experts told the Indianapolis Star.
Professor Scott Shackelford, the executive director of IU’s Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research, recommends calling the ticket seller (like Ticketmaster or StubHub) or the venue and making sure there is a ticket associated with the seller’s name.
And where possible, Managing Director of EXOS CYBER Cody Tyler says to try and avoid buying tickets on social media altogether.
But, if you can’t get around it, proceed with caution. Dan Cusick, fraud and claims executive for Wells Fargo, advises buyers to slow down if they feel they’re being pressured to send money quickly.
“We suggest [you] walk away,” Cusik told WISH-TV. “Give it 24 to 48 hours, think through it, lean on a support system, and then do some research.”
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