DICKSON, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Dickson mother and her college student daughter are speaking out after a scam cost them hundreds of dollars — and it is targeting young people with a trick that is fooling even careful families.
Toni Marcum and her daughter Skyler are sharing their story, hoping to prevent others from falling for this scam.
Skyler just finished her freshman year at UT-Chattanooga, but college wasn’t always in the cards for her.
"She has a developmental delay," said Toni Marcum, Skler’s mom. "We were told she would never walk, she would never talk, and she was really, really ill as a child."
However, Skyler thrived after settling into college life.
"I love the community that I found with crew and church," Skyler said.
Like many college students, Skyler used a large group messaging app called GroupMe to connect with friends at school.
One day, she received a message from someone she believed was a fellow student, but it was actually a stranger, and part of a scam.
"She reached out to Skyler and said that she liked her profile picture. She would like to paint it, and Skyler would get paid," Toni said.
The person obtained Skyler's contact information, then offered to send her a check via email — but also asked for money for supplies.
"They would pay her $300, so initially it was a $1,000 check, and she would buy supplies for $700," Toni said.
The scammers walked Skyler through how to deposit the check, then the amounts changed, and it became two checks.
The funds appeared to clear, Skyler sent the money back via Venmo, and it was gone.
She was out $500.
Skyler had initial doubts — but the scammers used her kind nature against her.
"They preyed on her by acting offended, that she thought it was a scam," Toni said.
Even after Skyler realized what had happened, she was reluctant to even tell her mom.
"Even after she figured out it was a scam, she didn't want to tell me," Toni said.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, this is a known scam that has been going on for years.
Here’s their post about it from the summer of 2024.
The key warning sign, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the interaction, is that if someone you do not know sends you a check and asks you to send money back, it is a scam.
Toni has a message for other parents.
"Parents, especially parents of kids that are going off to college for the first time, talk to them, tell them when it comes to money, put things past you first, anything more than $50," Toni said.
Toni reported the money Skyler lost to the FBI, but it does not appear the family will recover the funds.
Despite this, Skyler is looking forward to going back to school in the fall; she’s got big plans for both her academic and post-college life.
“She's majoring in early childhood education, and her hope is actually to go for a master's as a child life specialist and work with children like her that are in the hospitals,” Toni said.
Click here for more information on how to spot a check-cashing scam before you lose money.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
You never know what impact you can have on others — Patsy Montesinos brings us that reminder with a story featuring some very familiar faces. Enjoy this story and go vote for Shante!
- Carrie Sharp
