ARCHER, Idaho (KIFI) — It’s a warning for all of us on social media. An eastern Idaho rancher says scammers stole his identity — and it cost his friends and customers.

Hagen Erickson owns Diamond E Quarter Horses, and while he was out of cell service, scammers were busy stealing his online identity — and using it to target those closest to him.

“So far, I think there’s probably been about $5000, if not a little more money, that’s been sent to this person that hacked my account,” said Erickson. “Years of networking down the drain.”

Wednesday and Thursday night at 6 pm, Local News 8 looks into how it happened and what local law enforcement and the FBI are doing to fight back.