I am that "friend". I completely agree with what Ty said here. Please don't believe that whoever you meet is the real person and not an impersonating scammer. Make sure to ask the person that contacts you if they are the real deal. May help save some others out there.

I just recently had an impersonation attempt on DeviantArt that suspended my account for way more than a year so please be vigilant out there everyone who reads this message and Ty's journal

Duly noted. Nowadays it's harder to tell because folks are using AIs to write out scripts, so the usual methods of things like checking for spelling no longer apply.

A good way to confirm is to use multiple platforms to communicate. If someone you know is on FA is texting you on Discord, confirm it by having them PM you on FA as well. It's not 100%, as both accounts may be compromised, but it's a start.