KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar BluffCape Girardeau woman loses $4000 to hacker on Facebook
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CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - A Cape Girardeau woman was such a good friend, she played right into the hands of a hacker who took over her friend's Facebook account.
"I'm going to try really hard to forget it, but it was $3,914.20," Jayne Scherrman said.
She says it all began when she got a cryptic message from her friend Grace online.
"It was just a message. Jayne are you there? I need help. I answered her - "I'm here." She says "Mike and I are stranded in London, it's a bad situation, we need help.'"
Little did Scherrman know, someone was posing as Grace Parry after hacking into her Facebook account.
She didn't suspect anything strange, because the Parrys often travelled overseas.
"I had flight tickets all ready for her, I would have gone the next day," Scherrman said.
Parry found out about the hacker when a cousin called to check on her.
She says the same message was going out to all her friends on her account.
"Mike and I are in London, we've been robbed, we've lost everything, including our cell phone, credit cards, airline tickets, and maybe need $600 to help us get home."
Parry immediately changed her password and tried to warn her friends, but for some like Jayne Scherrman, it was too late.
Parry says another friend also wired her $600.
"We were just sick about it, and feel very angry. Feel violated. You almost feel like you're an accomplice at gunpoint, we were used intentionally in this whole mess," Parry said.
Scherrman is a pediatric dentist. She says if someone could trick her into falling for a scam, it could happen to anyone.
"After that strong scolding I gave myself, and lectured myself and throwing up, I really am proud of myself that I love someone enough to do that."
On the plus side, both women say their friendship is stronger than ever.
Scherrman filed a police report, but doesn't expect to get her money back.
Heartland News tried to get in touch with Facebook and they emailed back saying they could not respond immediately because of the large number of requests.
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