NBC 5 Responds Supports Takedown of Hacked Facebook Account Used to Sell Fake Taylor Swift Tickets – NBC Chicago

Susan Balmer says she’s been trying to get help from Facebook since April, when a hacker started using her account to sell fake Taylor Swift concert tickets.

“Knowing that my account was being used to defraud other people was horrifying,” Balmer told NBC 5 Responds.

She reported the scam through the Facebook website, but Facebook never took the hacked page offline.

A few weeks later, someone knocked on Balmer’s door. “And then it dawned on me. Oh my God, she’s at my house for these Taylor Swift tickets,” she said.

The woman googled Balmer’s name and address when the tickets she paid for were never delivered. Balmer wrote to NBC 5 Responds asking for help. We wrote to Facebook several times, but the page was still active and selling the fake tickets – until Illinois State Senator Dan McConchie saw the story.

“I saw your show. My wife said, ‘Hey, you have to see this,'” McConchie said.

He contacted NBC 5 Responds and asked for Balmer’s contact information. He wanted to help.

“In this case, I was able to reach someone here in the state who I knew worked at Meta, Facebook’s parent company,” McConchie said.

He asked if anything could be done to help Balmer take the hacked site offline.

Within a few days, the hacked site was deactivated. The fake concert tickets are no longer sold under Susan Balmer’s name.

State Senator McConchie said if you find yourself in a similar situation and cannot get help from Facebook, you should contact your local elected officials, especially your state representative and state senator.

“Often they already work with these companies in another way or know someone who does. We can often help,” explains McConchie.

NBC 5 Responds reached out to Facebook multiple times before and after Balmer’s story first aired. We have not received a response at the time of publishing this story.