Have you ever seen a post in your Facebook feed that just seemed… sketchy?
That was your internal scam sense telling you to keep scrolling. Overall, Facebook is a secure place to share information and interact with friends, but at 1.28 billion daily active users, it’s also fertile ground for fraudsters looking for an easy target.
So how do you separate scams from legit posts? Be on alert for these common cons:
Scammers are becoming more sophisticated all the time. They know that their victims aren’t very likely to respond to correspondence from a suspicious or unknown source.
But with profile cloning, a fraudster creates a look-a-like Facebook profile for someone you know, and starts sending messages to his or her friends (i.e., you). Typically, the scam will be a bogus offer, promising easy money in exchange for personal info.
Be careful of messages saying you were mentioned in a comment by a friend. If they require you to click a link to see the comment, avoid it!
This is a classic phishing scam. Once you click the link, you will automatically download a Trojan horse that infects your browser and steals your Facebook login credentials.
Once the hackers invade your computer, they can change your profile settings, take your personal info, and spread more nasty links to your Facebook friends.
Many businesses now offer customer support through social media. Never missing an opportunity to swindle people, scammers have started targeting this trend.
To spot a real page from a fake one, visit the company’s official website and click their Facebook icon. If you’re directed to a secure page, you’re safe.
However, if you’re still unsure, just call or email the company instead. Click here for information on ways to reach Hanscom Federal Credit Union.
For more information on common scams, read these Hanscom FCU blogs:
Common Real Estate Scam Hits My Family
"Can you hear me now?" phone scam: 5 ways to protect yourself
5 Current Scams Reported by the FTC
Here’s How to Protect Yourself from Frauds, Scams and Cyberthreats