Locals warned of new Facebook scam

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, June 24, 2014

A new scam is making its way through Facebook, and local officials are warning residents to beware.

According to information released by the Covington County District Attorney’s office, local residents have reported a scam associated with the name Jessica Allen Bivins that promises Facebook users a $300,000 reward.

Officials say, so far, no one in Covington County has reported falling victim to the hoax, therefore they are still unsure of how the scam is completed; however, DA officials say they have confirmed through federal authorities that the account in question was cloned from a legitimate profile of a Jessica Allen Bivens, who has more than 900 friends. Officials say the fake account spells the last name slightly differently and has very few friends associated with it. Officials also stressed that Bivens’ account has been in use for several years and that she appears to be an innocent victim of the scam.

If contacted by the phony account, officials say users will be told Bivins won a $300,000 reward, claiming the person they are attempting to scam was also listed as a winner.

If contacted by this person, DA officials say you should not accept the message and should immediately block the account and alert Facebook.