Facebook cloning scam and how you can protect yourself and your friends. The Facebook cloning, this seemingly simple but yet disreputable has been around for some time now.
Cyber fraudsters don’t need to hack your account, they use social engineering and stalking to aim at you and your friends.
Here is all you need to know about Facebook cloning scam and how to check if you are already a victim.
What Is Facebook Account Cloning Scam?
Facebook cloning scam involves using the cloned accounts to send links, or trick your friends and family into giving out encrypted information, or sending money. Use this cloned account to exploit your identity and your contacts.
They replicate your social media accounts by using your photos and information, making a copy of your existing account. Scammers will pretend to be you and then message your friends and family. The more you keep adding them, the more legit their accounts will look like.
They will send phishing link to your contact and because your contact trust you there is a chance they will click on the phishing link that could download malware read your contact to a phony site
Phony site looks like a legitimate site, scammers use technology to convince your contact to log into these one websites, and once they put in their credentials these will be used by hackers that control the site.
They can use the information they receive to login to peoples account and drain their bank account or make purchase with their credit card details. They can also use their personally identifiable information for legal activities like robbery
Other scammers could pretend to be you and reach out to your friends and family and asked for money.
How To Check If Your Facebook Account Has Been Cloned
- Friend will reach out to you and ask if you have a new account, this means someone made a copy of your account
- If your friends are observer they probably will suspect something fishy
- A few might be victims to Facebook clone scammers, scammers might go to the extent to study how you write and mimic your style of writing. You can type your name on Facebook search bar to find out if there is a similar account.
How To Protect Yourself From Facebook Account Cloning
- Be careful of the information you put out there from photos, private info, friends list set to public can be access by everyone
- Check your Facebook settings regularly, the social media platform regularly updates it’s security and privacy protocols, ensure to always check what’s new
- Only add people you know and trust on Facebook
- Set your friends list to private so scammers won’t be able to reach out to them.
What To Do If You Find A Cloned Facebook Account
- Go to the Facebook cloned account
- Access the profile of the Facebook clone account
- Tap on the three dots at the upper right corner of the screen above the cover photo.
- Tap on find support or report late.
Keeping your privacy and security settings updated ensure not just your safety but the safety of the people you love.