A 20-year-old Washington County woman and her mother are warning others after they say scammers posing as Pittsburgh Steelers personnel gained her trust and stole $2,000.<\/p>\n
Meredith Bongiorni is a devoted Steelers fan. <\/p>\n
Her favorite player is rookie Eli Heidenreich.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet some playing time, because you\u2019re on my team and I have to win,\u201d Meredith said in a message to Heidenreich.<\/p>\n
Her mother, Penny Bongiorni, said the scam began in July when Meredith exchanged messages on TikTok with someone she believed was Heidenreich.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sounded very formal. \u2018Oh, thanks for being a fan,\u2019 kind of that stuff,\u201d Penny said.<\/p>\n
Over time, the conversations appeared to develop into a friendship.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey would talk about really just random things, and she would say how grateful she was for the friendship, that she doesn\u2019t really have any friends,\u201d Penny said.<\/p>\n
Penny believes the person gained Meredith\u2019s trust by expressing sympathy for challenges she has faced.<\/p>\n
Meredith has a nonverbal learning disability and a medical condition that affects her height, known as Achondroplasia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe person was very good at it,\u201d Penny said. \u201cThey basically said no one should have to be judged. \u2018I am sorry you go through these things.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Between July and August, Meredith said she was instructed to email another person who claimed to be Steelers General Manager Omar Khan. <\/p>\n
She was told she could receive an all-access pass.<\/p>\n
The emails included what appeared to be an official headshot, helping make the exchange seem legitimate.<\/p>\n
Meredith and her mother said over various transactions, she ultimately sent the scammers $2,000. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was crushing. She was devastated,\u201d Penny said. \u201cShe thought he was her friend. Even after the policemen were here, she still was not sure it was fake.\u201d<\/p>\n
The family said Meredith worked hard for the money and is still processing the betrayal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they\u2019re that desperate to bother people, they need to find another hobby,\u201d Meredith said.<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating and searching for whoever is behind the scam.<\/p>\n
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