The social network created by Mark Zuckerberg is used daily to convey scam attempts of all kinds. Here’s how to recognize them and how to defend yourself.
Phishing
Phishing is the most straightforward scam that can be implemented using the Facebook name. Sadly, some still fall for it as the oldest type of scam. Like all phishing scams, it sends a social network using an email message that appears to come from Facebook. The victim is warned that updating their password is necessary (usually for security reasons). The email contains a link that should lead to the Facebook login page but leads to a site that faithfully reproduces the social network interface.
If the user falls for it and enters their account details, then the scammers have done bingo: they can access their profile as and when they want to send messages to the contact list, share posts or like and, if the user has activated at least one payment method via Facebook, scammers can also steal a lot of money by making purchases without his knowledge. How to defend yourself? Facebook never sends such emails. They should be ignored. If you click on the link, look at the browser address bar: if the URL of the site we sent is not facebook.com, it is a scam.
Fake Event Tickets
Facebook events are also helpful for scammers to steal money from less savvy users. The game usually consists of creating an event that faithfully replicates another actual event related to a concert or show. Scammers usually choose top-notch events with many aspiring attendees and tickets that don’t come cheap. At best, the scammers bought dozens of tickets and resold them at significantly higher prices. At worst, they have no tickets to sell.
The ticket sale, however, takes place through a ticketing circuit external to Facebook and, very often, these circuits do not hold themselves responsible in the event of such scams. How to defend yourself? Trying in every way to understand which is the official page of an event that interests us by clicking on the link that leads to the organizer’s page. If it is the band’s official page, the artist or the organization organizing the event, then we can proceed. Otherwise, we must stay away from it because we have no guarantee.
Sexy Chat
If you have stumbled upon the friend request of young, attractive and disturbing girls, you may not be the most beautiful. Still, simply a victim of chatbots, programs that generate fake profiles simulate standardized conversations. They are beautiful, curvy and sexy, but they are dangerous. Please copy and paste their name on Google and see what comes out.
This foresight might be enough. Or test it with specific questions. Bots are usually configured as SIRI, that is, through standard answers to frequently asked questions or recognizable words. If you do not receive negative feedback on Google and have entirely logical answers to the questions, congratulations, it could be your lucky day!
False Lotteries
Fake profiles say they know you or claim to represent companies, organizations or associations and try to reassure you about the truthfulness of winning an award. You will be asked for your IBAN to credit the prize, email address, place, and date of birth. The truth is, there is no prize. Please stay away from them.
Coupons
Slightly more elaborate is the coupon or gift card scam. It is conveyed directly on Facebook, and it works like this: a friend (who has already fallen for it) shares a gift card or discount code to spend at a large retailer on Facebook. By clicking on the post, we are asked to fill out a form with our data so that we can receive the code.
At the end of the process, we are invited to share the post to receive the code or gift card. We do it, but we do not receive anything. But the scammers got our data, and we shared the scam. How to defend yourself? Ignoring these posts: no serious e-commerce operates in this way, and if the code or the gift card is tempting, it is better to contact the friend who has already shared the post and ask him if he received the discount. He will tell us no.
Tips To Protect Yourself
In all cases, these precautions always apply to defend against scams on Facebook, paying attention to:
- people you do not know directly and requests for money ;
- users who ask to advance an amount ;
- accounts that ask you to communicate outside of Facebook (for example, via another email address);
- people who claim to be a friend or relative who is in an emergency;
- spelling and grammatical inaccuracies.
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