MIAMI \u2013 A \u201cprolific media scammer\u201d has successfully targeted at least one real estate agent in Miami. The scammer calls himself OBN, though successful scams eventually attract copycats.<\/p>\n
Social media scammers tend to target posters with large followings, and the Miami agent not only had 100,000 Instagram followers, but she also made money off an OnlyFans account. OBN has also targeted celebrities and others.<\/p>\n
According to ProPublica, the scammer told the agent he would make \u201csure that your life is miserable\u201d and \u201ctry and get as much money out of you\u201d as he could.<\/p>\n
How the scam works<\/p>\n
A scammer finds a way to shut down a social media account, possibly by stealing the user\u2019s password. They then contact the owner of the stolen account and demand money if they want to regain access to their followers. The scammer might also begin posting in someone else\u2019s name, which has caused problems for some of the celebrities.<\/p>\n
OBN calls himself the \u201clog-out king\u201d and claims he\u2019s made $300,000 so far.<\/p>\n
According to a Meta spokesperson, OBN has caused dozens of accounts to be dropped, adding that the scammer\u2019s technical expertise is only part of the problem and is \u201ctrumped by his ability to scam people into thinking he can ban and restore their accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Below are some tips on how to protect your social media accounts.<\/p>\n