Facebook scams: What are the most common ones and how to avoid them
Yes, the posts that you’re seeing on Facebook about the social media site getting ready to charge users who don’t opt out of upcoming subscription fees are just a lingering, longtime hoax.
So now that you know, don’t fall for it, OK?
Unfortunately, that’s only one of many hoaxes and scams that continue to proliferate on the site.
That makes it a good time for a refresher on how to avoid them, courtesy of the Meta braintrust behind the social media behemoth:
What are the basics about Facebook scams?
Scammers target people to trick them into giving away money or sensitive information. Think of emails that offer a quick-and-easy investment scheme or an urgent text message from someone claiming to be a friend in need, or a phishing email claiming to come from Meta to alert you of issues with your account and asking you to immediately click on a link to learn more.
They may create fake accounts pretending to be someone they are not or compromising existing social media accounts to try to deceive or defraud you or your friends out of money, personal information, or access to your account.
Facebook advises that if you get a suspicious email or message claiming to be from Facebook, don’t click any links or attachments.
How do I protect my account?
Scammers who try to trick people into sharing personal information, passwords, or credit card numbers typically do so via fraudulent emails, messages, or websites that might appear legitimate, such as a bank, email provider, or social media platform.
To start, here are three simple rules to help you protect yourself when encountering a scam:
Slow down: Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency or threaten you with losing your account or other action. Take time to ask questions and think it through.
Spot check: Scammers often mention a problem to encourage you to act. Do your research to double check the details before clicking links or downloading files. Does what they’re telling you make sense?
Don’t send: Scammers often pretend to be from a familiar organization, they may use its employee photo they stole from the internet to convince you. No reputable organization will demand payment on the spot.
On social media, look out for the following signs when considering whether to accept a friend request or respond to a message:
People who you don’t know or famous people asking for money.
Asking you for advance fees to receive a loan, prize or other winnings.
People claiming to be a friend or relative in an emergency.
People asking you to move your conversation off Facebook.
People claiming to want a romantic connection with you quickly and then asking for money.
Messages or posts with poor spelling and grammar errors.
A message asking for your urgent response because something is wrong with your online account.
A message that simply asks you to log in with your social media, email or bank account to read an important message about the services you use online.
Accounts that have no friends, profile photo, or real-looking activity on Facebook.
What are tips to keep your Facebook account secure?
Don't click suspicious links: If you get a suspicious email or text or social media message claiming to be from Facebook, don't click any links or attachments. First, check in your Facebook settings whether it came from Facebook.
Do not download files or software coming from people you don’t know: Use caution when installing browser extensions and 3rd party apps, particularly when they offer functionality that sounds too good to be true or require you to login with your social media credentials before even using them.
Don't answer and report messages that ask for your:
Password
Social security number
Financial information like credit card numbers
Strengthen your online security:
Enable two-factor authentication to add an extra security layer to your accounts across the internet. Two-factor authentication is one of the most effective tools for combating account compromise attempts here.
Never reuse your password across multiple websites.
Use trusted antivirus software. It is important to keep this software up to date and scan your devices for malware regularly.
Turn on login alerts so you’ll be notified if someone is trying to access your account. Be sure to review your previous sessions to make sure you recognize which devices have access to your account.
Visit Facebook's Security Checkup Tool to help secure your account.
For businesses: Enable Business notifications so you’ll be alerted of any changes happening within your Meta Business Manager Account.
If you think someone has access to your account or you’re unable to login, please visit Facebook’s Help Center to take steps to regain access to your account.
What are common Facebook scams?
Investment scams: Scammers may promise unrealistic monetary benefits like offering to convert a small amount of money into a larger sum (example: $100 = $1000) and solicit money from you. Typically, scammers disappear with the payment. Some types of false investment scams to watch out for include "cash flipping" scams, Ponzi schemes or "get rich quick" schemes.
Romance scams: Scammers may send romantic messages to people they don’t know, often pretending to be divorced, widowed or in a bad marriage claiming they are seeking a relationship. They may claim they need money or your information to purchase a flight or apply for a visa. Because their goal is to first gain your trust, they may engage in conversations for weeks or months before they ask for money.
Job scams: Scammers may use misleading or fake job postings to try and get your personal information or your money. Avoid job postings that sound too good to be true or that ask you to pay anything upfront before your application is considered. When clicking on a link from a job posting, watch out for websites that seem unrelated to the original job posting or that ask for sensitive information (example: government ID) but don't use secure (https) browsing. For more tips, read our guidelines when looking for jobs on Facebook.
Lottery scams: Scammers may use accounts or Pages impersonating someone you know or a legitimate organization (such as a government agency) to claim that you're among the only winners of a lottery which you can receive for a small advance fee. The scammer may ask you to provide personal information, such as your physical address or bank details to “verify your identity” before receiving your prize.
Loan scams: Scammers may send messages and share posts offering instant loans at a low interest rate for a small advance fee. Once an initial payment is made they may ask for more money to provide a larger loan or simply end the conversation and disappear with the payment.
Donation scams: Scammers may use online accounts pretending to represent charities or orphanages or religious figures. They would then ask for donations.
Inheritance scams: The scammers may claim to be a lawyer or representative of the state reaching out to you about the estate of a deceased person. They may claim that you're entitled to the inheritance and ask you to provide personal information such as your physical address or bank details to receive such inheritance.
Commerce scams: Scammers may claim to be selling goods and services online, often at a price that’s too good to be true, and they may try to convince you that you can get a better price if you move the conversation to other communications channels, like email or chat apps. Once you pay them, they would stop responding and the goods never arrive. They may try to create a sense of urgency to get people to act quickly to place an order and request payment through crypto currency.
Paid subscription services: Scammers may offer to purchase lifetime access to coveted subscription services for a one-time payment and then never deliver the product.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: What are the most common Facebook scams and how to avoid them
