16-year-old girl given address to vacant home for babysitting job; police investigating

EXTON, Pa. - Police in Chester County are investigating a case of potential fraud involving a babysitting job posted on Facebook.

16-year-old Maggie Drozdowksi says she loves to ballroom dance and dress-up, and joined a local babysitting Facebook group to earn some extra cash.

"It was my first time doing that and going to babysit someone I didn’t know," she said.

Last week, she says she responded to a post in the group, that said, in part, "I need a babysitter for my kids both girls! 1 and 3-years-old old and I would like you to take care of them like yours." 

The post offered $25 to $30 hourly.

"I mean it was good hours that she put out, and it was one of the first ones I saw too, so that’s why I picked her," said Drozdowski. "And the kids were really cute."

Maggie says she reached out to the woman and they exchanged messages. She says the woman gave her address, in Downingtown, and at one point the woman asked to also help her organize furniture she will have delivered.

In screenshots of the messages provided to FOX 29, the woman asked for help organizing furniture, with an extra $200 to use for errands and toys for the girls.

Drozdowski agreed to help, but says she decided to research the address first, just to be sure.

"I already just felt weird about the situation, and I noticed when we looked it up, the house was for sale, which I thought was weird and I told my mom," she said. "We called the realtor, and he said nobody’s lived there since May."

The homeowners of the address tell FOX 29 they have no idea who the person is that provided the address, and confirmed that the home is vacant, and for sale. They say they are very concerned their address was used.

"It could’ve been either, just a money scam, or someone could’ve been actually waiting there for me when I came, and it could’ve turned into something worse," said Drozdowski.

Uwchlan Township Police say the potential fraud is still under investigation, but pointed to scams that the Federal Trade Commission warned about this year, including a "Nanny Scam."

Among their warnings (link: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/nanny-and-caregiver-job-scams), their website states, "Don’t believe any story about why your employer sent you a check for more than you expected to be paid."

Drozdowski says she’s going to babysit children of families that she knows for now, though she still believes the babysitter Facebook groups are generally positive.

"There are some dangerous people in these groups because they’re really big, so I wouldn’t say don’t use them, they’re good, just be careful," she said. "I think everyone should be more aware before they apply to these and look into it."