INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Swifties beware! Scammers are hacking Facebook pages and using them to scam fans out of money.

Laura Cascada, of Virginia, said when someone she knew in her community posted that she was selling Indianapolis Eras Tour tickets, she jumped at the chance because it was her dream to see the show.

But it turns out that a scammer hacked that person’s Facebook page and used the account to convince Cascada to send $1,600 through Zelle.

“I got scammed by paying “her” with Zelle, which doesn’t protect you against these situations,” Cascada said. “So, as soon as I had made the payment, “she” blocked me and took off with my money.”

Cascada reported her issue to Wells Fargo, and after a long investigation, the bank determined it was a valid transaction because Cascada sent the money herself.

Wells Fargo Fraud and Claims Executive Dan Cusick recommends slowing down if you are being pressured to send money immediately because that is a sign of a scam.

“So, we suggest walk away,” Cusick said. “Give it 24-48 hours, think through it, lean on a support system, and then do some research.”

Cascada did her research. She had the person on Facebook send a video to prove they had the tickets.

After that, she used Zelle to send the money. Wells Fargo said Zelle is an instantaneous transfer, similar to cash.

Zelle and Wells Fargo said it is difficult to track down scammers because they are sophisticated and often dump the phone numbers they use quickly.

Cascada wishes more was done to help her.

“It’s just 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 then they didn’t, and it feels kinda like a betrayal,” Cascada said.

Wells Fargo said their decision stands because it was a valid transaction.

An example of an invalid transaction is when a hacker gains access to a bank account and takes money out.

“Scammers are always looking for ways to take advantage of people such as exploiting high visibility events. Awareness and vigilance are key to protect yourself. As scams change and evolve, we have taken, and continue taking significant action to combat scammers, including ongoing education efforts, warning notifications, and continually enhancing safeguards to help prevent these heartbreaking incidents.”

Wells Fargo

Consumers face an unrelenting stream of fraudulent texts, calls, social media posts and more, all from criminals trying to swindle them out of money, and these unfortunate situations are precisely why Early Warning Services and Zelle are at the forefront of efforts to unite government, law enforcement and private industry in developing a nationwide strategy to combat scams and fraud. Addressing this problem will require more law enforcement resources, stronger penalties for criminals, more consumer education, and effective measures to prevent identity spoofing, including on social media platforms.

As a result of our multi-layered network protections and consumer education efforts, 99.95% of transactions on the Zelle network were completed without a report of scam or fraud in 2023. However, it’s important to recognize Zelle is a messaging service facilitating transfers between two federally regulated institutions. Unlike other peer-to-peer payment platforms, we do not hold onto funds or manage accounts. If fraud or a scam is suspected, consumers should immediately contact their financial institution, as they are required by law to investigate all fraud claims. 

Zelle