People have been experiencing different kinds of Scammers on social media unaware, where scammers create fake accounts to attract whoever they wish to attract in terms of getting what they need at the end.
Scammers exploit the victims through their Facebook posts, chats, and comments or by using the platform’s features such as Facebook Marketplace.
These scams can vary from less harmful fake contests or giveaways to more serious scams such as spoofing or Facebook account cloning.
This year it has been 20 years since Mark Zuckerberg and his team launched Facebook and in these years it has attracted billions of users around the globe, allowing them to express themselves, share news, celebrate achievements and forge meaningful connections.
However, at the same time, Facebook has also become a perfect place for scammers to exploit unsuspecting users.
According to the SAPS there are many different kinds of scammers that people should be aware of on social media and each day they are increasing.
What exactly is Facebook clone?
A cloned Facebook account is a copy of your account that used your profile photo and other public information to trick your friends and family into giving up their information. It may convince your friends to send them money, collect passwords or other information, or trick them into other scams.
Account cloning is not a hack or exploit but it is just a result of clever scammers using your publicly available information to fool your friends.
How do I know if my Facebook account has been cloned?
According to SAPS, an account holder can search Facebook for their names to see if there are other account pretending to be you, but it is likely that there is someone else on Facebook who legally shares your name. So, while you can do this to look for duplicates, be aware that not every result will be someone cruelly cloning your account.
Before a person can scam your friends on Facebook, they have to send them a friend request from their cloned account which can set off red flags for security savvy. If they accept your friends request without thinking, they will start receiving messages that sound like you.
If a friend tells you they have gotten a friend request or a suspicious message from you without you knowing, your account may have been cloned.
Other scam that social media uses must be aware of is Romance Scams
SAPS say, you must always approach any new online friend with caution. Before getting too invested in anything, you should do a bit of homework on the person first.
Online dating is not only limited to dating sites. With social media having become more essential to our daily lives many people find love on social media networks such as Facebook, X, WhatsApp and several other platforms. Therefore, it becomes a prime playground for scammers looking to get their hands on your money.
How does this king of scams work?
They are called catfishing; these romance scammers take advantage of a person’s need for love and company, using fake profile and, other people’s images and personal information. They shower people with loving words thereafter, they will ask them money.
It is so important to do a little homework on the person you are chatting to first such as verifying their profile picture. Simply perform a reverse image search to check that the picture being used was not taken from someone else profile.
Also do not share information without giving it a second thought.
If you have any doubts about the person you are communicating with, end the conversation immediately.
Other scams are job scammers
These one usually would require money for uniform from you. So, it is important if you come across these types of scams to be cautious or do not except any new friends invite if you are not sure.
Other type of Facebook scammers are donation scams, quiz scams, ticket scams, rental scams, PayPal/cash scams as well as clickbait scams.
What should you do if your Facebook account has been cloned?
Facebook does not allow account to impersonate others, so if you find clone account you should report it to Facebook as soon as possible. Just go to the cloned profile and; Click the “…” icon in the upper right of their profile page then select “Give feedback or report this profile” then, follow the instructions onscreen to report the account for impersonating you. Once you have reported the page, post to your timeline and tell friends not to accept new friends from you, and to ignore any messages that might be scams.