Melissa Leong shares story of a friend whose life savings were ‘cleaned out’ by an email scam
MasterChef’s Melissa Leong shares the terrifying story of a friend whose savings were ‘cleaned up’ by an email scam: ‘If she can be scammed by this, anyone can’
Masterchef judge Melissa Leong has shared an urgent warning after her friend fell victim to a terrifying scam.
The 41-year-old food critic took to her Instagram story on Tuesday to raise awareness about scams sent via text and email and how easy it can be to get targeted.
Melissa explained how her friend received a text message that was “made to look” like a company she had dealt with.
She said her friend “filled out a form and has now emptied her entire savings account.”
“She’s a single mom living on the cutting edge. She’s also smart and wary,’ Melissa added. “If she can be taken by this, anyone can.
Masterchef judge Melissa Leong (pictured) has shared an urgent warning after her friend fell victim to a terrifying scam
‘Please be careful out there. There are many horrible people who do reprehensible things.’
The television host suggested that her friend may never get her money back.
“Scammers can use collected information to trick you into giving up your information with less resistance, which is really creepy and underhanded,” she continued.
“Because she voluntarily provided her information, banks see this as a scam and not fraud, which means you may not get your money back.”
Melissa explained how her friend received a text message that was “made to look like” a company she had done business with, saying that her friend “has now drained her entire savings account.”
The television host suggested that her friend may never get her money back
Melissa’s PSA comes a week after news that her relationship with cosmetics entrepreneur Rob Mason appeared to be on rocky ground, with the MasterChef judge recently unfollowing him on Instagram.
She also appears to have removed all photos of her former beau from her page.
However, Mason still follows Leong on social media.
‘Please be careful out there. There are a lot of horrible people who do reprehensible things,” Melissa said
Daily Mail Australia contacted Leong and her representatives for comment last week.
The cookbook author debuted her romance with Mason in October 2021, just 10 months after her split from ex-husband Joe Jones.
She first appeared on Rob’s Instagram page in August 2021 before finally going official two months later.
Melissa Leong’s relationship with cosmetics entrepreneur Rob Mason appears to be on rocky ground, with the MasterChef judge recently unfollowing Mason on Instagram. Both pictured in 2022
Leong recently unfollowed Mason on Instagram. She also appears to have removed all photos of her former beau from her page
The apparent breakup comes just days after Leong got emotional at a private funeral for her late MasterChef co-star Jock Zonfrillo.
Family and friends of the late Jock Zonfrillo emotionally left a chapel in Sydney on Saturday, May 13, as they said goodbye to the celebrity chef.
The Masterchef judge, who died on April 30 at the age of 46, was buried in a private funeral surrounded by a small group of family and friends.
Jock Zonfrillo was found dead by police at about 2 a.m. Monday in an outback Melbourne hotel, the same day Channel 10 was set to premiere the fifteenth season of MasterChef Australia.