Scambook Alerts Users of Fake Sallie Mae Instagram Using Stolen Loan Forgiveness to Steal Private Info
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 09, 2013 -- Scambook, the Internet’s leading consumer advocacy platform, is warning Instagram users to steer clear of fraudulent Sallie Mae Instagram accounts allegedly offering student loan forgiveness due to the government shutdown. The illegitimate accounts are asking for personal information and place consumers with student loans at increased risk of identity theft or other online fraud.
“Unfortunately, scammers are taking advantage of the government shutdown in order to generate Internet hoaxes. In this case, scammers have created fake Sallie Mae accounts that claim to forgive users' student loans due to a supposed 'shutdown loophole',” says Scambook’s Director of Marketing, Kase Chong. “Letting thousands of people walk away from their student debt is a red flag that should signal individuals that this is a scam. They're also asking for users' personal information via social media, which a real company wouldn't do.”
Sallie Mae is a publicly traded company that was not affected by the government shutdown. With active Facebook and Twitter accounts, Sallie Mae have revealed that not only do they not have an Instagram account, but they would never ask customers for personal information via social media. The accounts are fake and there is no “government shutdown student loan forgiveness program.”
Scambook wants to remind users that with the growth of social media, fake social media accounts are becoming typical fronts to steal valuable account information and commit online fraud.
Scambook cautions consumers to never release over social media any personal information including bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, or a home address. The rule of thumb still stands that any offer that seems “too good to be true” is most likely a scam.
To spot fraudulent offers or other scams on social media like Instagram, Scambook advises consumers to refer to the following tips:
1. Look closely at the name of the account. If it is misspelled, includes numbers, includes spaces or unusual capitalization, it is most likely an unofficial hoax account.
2. Watch for low quality or “unprofessional” content. A legitimate company's social media account won't include excessive typos, misspellings or poor grammar in any official communications.
3. Remember, companies won't ask for personal information through social media. If the social media account is soliciting for users' personal information, it's mostly a scam.
If consumers see an offer through social media and cannot tell whether it is legitimate or not, Scambook advises reaching out to the company directly through their official website or calling a customer service phone number to confirm the offer.
About Scambook
Scambook is an online complaint resolution platform dedicated to obtaining justice for victims of fraud with unprecedented speed and accuracy. By building communities and providing resources on the latest scams, Scambook arms consumers with the up-to-date information they need to stay on top of emerging schemes. Since its inception, Scambook has resolved over $18 million in reported consumer damages. For more information, visit scambook.com.
Lisa Inouye, PMBC Group, +1 (310) 777-7546, [email protected]
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