29-07-2025
Scammers tap into Coloradan's Facebook page; authorities say it's an ongoing problem that's nearly impossible to investigate
"We're conducting a sale of personal items due to my uncle's move to a care facility," the posting on Facebook begins.
Along with it are over 60 photos of items allegedly for sale. Pickups and SUVs, tractor trailers, 4-wheelers, generators and appliances. All at desperation-looking prices.
It appears Jeanellil Taylor's uncle had quite an accumulation of possessions. But they need to be sold.
On the page the posting says, "To manage this transition smoothly, items are being sold on a first-come, first-serve basis! I'll be out of town assisting with this move and won't be back till next weekend. To reserve an item a deposit is necessary."
Except one problem.
Jeanellil Taylor of Evergreen had her Facebook page hijacked by scammers.
It's fraud.
Her uncle is not going into a care facility. There are no items for sale.
Taylor, who was on vacation out of state when someone tapped into her Facebook page and took it over, was initially unaware. It was only after friends who were tagged in the Facebook post began contacting her directly when she found out. But she couldn't even look at the posting on her own page. She was unable to get onto her Facebook account.
"It's absolutely insane. People are absolutely insane," said Taylor. "People are coming out of the woodwork and they're like, 'Are you selling this? I'll buy this.' And I'm like, what are you talking about.?"
A cousin in Arizona contacted her about the item she was buying. She had already sent money via an online digital wallet service as a deposit. It was too late.
Taylor tried contacting Facebook to get control of her page again and get the posting taken down.
"I tried to reach out to Facebook, tried to change my password, and it's just like nope, nope, nope, nope, shutdown, shutdown, shutdown shutdown. No matter how I tried. Phone numbers, email address nothing," said Taylor describing the process as a vicious circle.
People were baited by the photos, which were not always consistent in their backdrop. A Ford F-150 was going for $10,000. A Toyota Rav4, $7,000. A Kubota tractor, $3,000. The posting asks people to contact the seller via Instant Message. Comments have been turned off, so those who do catch on, cannot post a warning.
It's a variation on similar scams they see often says Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokesman Mark Techmeyer.
"It's really unfortunate. And in situations like this, you know, every one of these investigations have different nuances and parts of it that can be different. But for the most case when you see where someone's Facebook page is hacked, the IP address, where the information is coming from, or is often fake and untraceable."
They are nearly impossible to investigate.
The perpetrators are often overseas. The jurisdiction for investigating is a tangled mess.
"In this particular case, our victim in in Evergreen is a victim of fraud. But then everyone who sent money to make a deposit on these items is a victim of theft. And where they were when they sent that wire, that money, is the jurisdiction that has the responsibility for investigating the theft," said Techmeyer.
CBS Colorado sent an email to Facebook's listed media contact Friday. There has been no reply.
The posting and Taylor's page appeared still in the hands of the scammers late Monday and had not been taken down.
"It is not often that we will work with Facebook in a situation like this, because it nothing really comes to fruition out of it," said Techmeyer.
The best way to stop it is buyer beware.
"So you just got to stop and think about that and be suspicious of postings where people are asking for money up front," said Techmeyer.
Look out for unusually cheap prices and when pictures of multiple items are in different locations, that too is a red flag. Taylor is upset with someone using her good name.
"I've always been an honest person and it just drives me crazy that people would do something like this."
Her uncle? There were several. But, "They're all up in heaven."
