ALBANY, GA. --
Meeting people and becoming friends online has become an accepted part of society, but law enforcement officials are sending out a warning to beware of scammers posing as friends.
A 71-year-old woman in Dougherty County says she was scammed out of more than $100,000.
The woman met the male who claimed to be from Johannesburg, South Africa through the internet.
After becoming friends with the suspect, he began asking her for money for a business venture.
The victim sent thousands of dollars to the man but once she told him she had no more money, his friendship was gone. She hasn't heard from him since.
“You shouldn't be providing funds to someone that you meet over the internet. There's no way to prove that they are honest and they are sincere in what they're saying,” says Dougherty Count Police Capt. Jimmy Sexton.
He says elderly people are often victims of this type of scam.
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