Macomb County Sheriff's investigators searching for woman wanted in Detroit Lions playoff ticket scam
(WWJ) Macomb County Sheriff's investigators are trying to track down a woman who scammed a Detroit Lions fan who was looking to buy some tickets for Sunday's big game.
According to investigators -- a man found a Facebook listing this week... posted by a "female" who said she was selling a pair of tickets to the Lions playoff game against Tampa Bay, at Ford Field on Jan. 21.
The man wanted the two tickets, so he texted the woman. The two agreed on a price and arranged a payment through Venmo, the sheriff's office said.
The man sent two payments to the woman — the second, after she asked for more money — but she never transferred the tickets to the man.
The fan reported the crime to the sheriff's office, and investigators are still trying to identify and locate the suspect.
The sheriff's office did not say how much money the man sent to the scammer.
With this case in mind, Sheriff Anthony Wickersham wants to remind the public about the prevalence of financial scams through social media. According to a report by the Federal Trade Commission, between January 2021 and June 2023, Americans lost $2.7 billion in scams originating on social media.
The MCSO provided the following tips to avoid scams on social media:
• Limit who can see your posts and information.
• If you get a message from a friend about an opportunity or an urgent need for money, call them. Their account may have been hacked.
• If someone on your social media rushes you to start a friendship or romance, slow down. Never send money to someone you haven't met in person.
• Before you buy, check out the company. Search online for its name plus "scam" or "complaint."
• To learn more about how to spot, avoid, and report scams, visit ftc.gov/scams.
