Briana Siaca, a former beauty queen and current real estate professional, was recently duped out of $2,000 in what is commonly known as a Zelle scam. The incident, which took place in Madison Square Park, New York, has left Siaca shocked and wary of such schemes.
Siaca recounted the event in a TikTok video, explaining that two teenage boys approached her, claiming to raise funds for their basketball team. The boys, who appeared friendly and sincere, convinced Siaca to donate using the Zelle app since she didn't have cash on hand. One of the boys took her phone and started the transaction while the other engaged Siaca in conversation about their team's needs.
After a brief moment, Siaca became suspicious and retrieved her phone, only to realize that the boys had transferred $2,000 from her account to themselves. They quickly fled the scene, leaving Siaca stunned and disappointed.
"I'm shocked. It feels kind of like a scary dream because these boys were so seemingly sweet and innocent and charming," said Siaca in the video.
Siaca's father, David, condemned the boys' actions, labelling them as "predators." While Siaca's bank could not recover the funds, she praised the New York Police Department for their assistance in the matter.
Zelle, a peer-to-peer network owned by seven major banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, has become a popular platform for transferring money. However, scammers are also increasingly targeting it to exploit unsuspecting individuals.
Siaca recounted the event in a TikTok video, explaining that two teenage boys approached her, claiming to raise funds for their basketball team. The boys, who appeared friendly and sincere, convinced Siaca to donate using the Zelle app since she didn't have cash on hand. One of the boys took her phone and started the transaction while the other engaged Siaca in conversation about their team's needs.
After a brief moment, Siaca became suspicious and retrieved her phone, only to realize that the boys had transferred $2,000 from her account to themselves. They quickly fled the scene, leaving Siaca stunned and disappointed.
"I'm shocked. It feels kind of like a scary dream because these boys were so seemingly sweet and innocent and charming," said Siaca in the video.
Siaca's father, David, condemned the boys' actions, labelling them as "predators." While Siaca's bank could not recover the funds, she praised the New York Police Department for their assistance in the matter.
Zelle, a peer-to-peer network owned by seven major banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, has become a popular platform for transferring money. However, scammers are also increasingly targeting it to exploit unsuspecting individuals.
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