Parents looking for baby formula hit by scammers
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Desperate families continuing to be hurt by the baby formula shortage are now being targeted by so-called formula scammers.
With grocery stores placing caps on how much formula families can buy, as well as the national shortage, desperate mothers are forced to look elsewhere.
The Columbus Formula Finders Facebook group was created a few weeks ago by a woman named Kelly Keyser trying to fill a need. It has since gained more than 1,000 members.
What Keyser said she found were scam artists taking advantage of unsuspecting mothers.
Sarah Erb, from Indiana, said she’s now out more than $200 for just trying to feed her preemie baby. Someone she met through the group has ghosted her after claiming to have sent six containers of Similac Neosure.
“She blamed it on USPS,” Erb said. “We kind of used that excuse for a few days until she just stopped replying and that’s where I’m at: out $200 and no formula.”
Keyser said she is diligent about watching over the group to ban any alleged scammers who often target mothers who join the page from outside the Columbus area.
Erb said she is going to file a police report against the woman.