A 29-year-old female nearly lost her identity on Facebook as she fell prey to an online predator who used her photo without her consent for two months.
Natasha Bell’s photo was used to start a Facebook account by the name of Miriam Sturman to sell large containers.
“We all read about similar stories that happen to other people and one never expects it to happen to you or someone close to you,” said Zelda Snyman, the victim’s mother as she expressed her shock about the situation.
Zelda said she heard from a colleague last Tuesday that someone, by the name of Miriam Sturman was posing as Natasha by using her photo which includes her three-year-old son.
“If someone used a picture of me alone, even though it is not right, it would still be fine,” Natasha said. What she does not understand, she says, is how someone could use her photo which includes her little son.
‘Miriam Sturman’ who accumulated 250 friends on Facebook in two months, allegedly used this social media platform to sell containers for R750 in the “Te Koop/Te Ruil” closed group.
After Natasha found out about the scam, she said she sent a Facebook message on to Miriam and asked her to remove the photo.
She then reported this user to Facebook and according to her, someone from Facebook’s administration offices said Miriam did not violate their community standards so there is nothing they can do about it.
She said a case cannot be opened because they do not have enough information about this Facebook user.
“I feel like my privacy has been violated and I would just like to warn people to be more assertive when using social media as there are strange people in the world,” Natasha cautioned.
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