Scammers using pics of friends, family in messages promising COVID-19 relief money

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Here's a quick COVID scam tip, the Better Business Bureau recently issued an alert, saying that scammers are sending direct messages to your Instagram account or maybe even your Facebook account and these messages look like they're coming from your friends or your family, but it's really not your friends it's not your family.

The scammers are stealing pictures of friends and family, and using them to try to trick you they are sending links, saying that you can get COVID-19 relief money. They are trying to get you to click on this link, and maybe you'll give them personal information that they can use against you, or they're telling you that you can "pay money" to get COVID-19 relief money and we know that that is just not going to happen.

So if you ever get one of these messages from someone and you think you might know them, but the message looks a little suspicious, You should call or reach out to that person via text yourself

and do it directly, and immediately.