With the increasing presence of celebrities, brands and radio stations on platforms like Facebook, scammers are also becoming more active. This threat does not stop at established broadcasters such as Antenne Bayern. Disguised as moderators, the scammers try to dupe unsuspecting users and get their personal data.

In this article, we'll show you how to unmask these fake profiles and protect yourself from scams.

Fake profiles of Antenne Bayern moderators

The scammers' approach is sneaky and sophisticated. They create deceptively real fake profiles of radio presenters on Facebook. In doing so, they illegally use the official logos and photos of the presenters as well as the station brand, as in the case of Antenne Bayern. The station is already aware of fake profiles for Kathie Kleff, Tanja Nowak and Indra Willer-Gerdes.

Screenshot Facebook: Fake profile of Indra Gerdes posts fake competition
Screenshot Facebook: Fake profile of Indra Gerdes posts fake competition

Felix Kovak, managing director of Antenne Bayern, explains: "In the last quarter there were almost 20 fake profiles of presenters and a news anchor from ANTENNE BAYERN and Rock ANTENNE."
on the radio station's website , and on Facebook has the following warnings:

The name of the station and its presenters is obviously repeatedly misused for fraud and is not alone in this:

The fraudster's scam

Fake profiles contact users using various methods. A frequently used tactic is to claim that the user has won a competition or has the opportunity to participate exclusively. In order to receive the supposed prize, the user should follow a link and enter their bank details. And this is exactly where the danger lurks: The fraudsters use the sensitive data to access bank accounts or collect personal information for further schemes.

The sophistication of deception

The perfidious thing about this fraud is that the fraudsters exploit the trust of listeners and users that they have in the radio station or its Facebook page. They copy real images and graphics from the channel to fake authenticity. In addition, in many cases they refer to shortened links that are intended to entice the user to click on them. These links often contain a request to disclose sensitive information.

How to protect yourself from fraud

  1. Critical look at the profile: Take time to look at the profile in more detail. Watch out for spelling mistakes, unusual activity, or suspicious friend requests.
  2. Check contact: Real moderators will never contact you via private profiles. Be careful if someone promises you winnings via a private profile.
  3. Verified accounts: Check if the account has the blue verification icon. This is an indication that this is an official account.
  4. Distrust of links: Do not click on links without thinking, especially if they come from unknown sources. If possible, verify the link before clicking on it.
  5. Don't reveal sensitive data: Real radio stations will never ask for your banking details or personal information online. Never give out such information.

The fight against fraudsters

Antenne Bayern and other radio stations are increasingly confronted with this problem. Despite efforts to quickly delete fake profiles, scammers are often one step ahead. Therefore, Antenne Bayern has taken legal action to take action against these fraud profiles. But the platforms cannot always respond promptly, and fraudsters continue to create new profiles.

Conclusion

It is up to us to increase our sensitivity to fraud attempts and share our knowledge with others.
If you follow the steps above and remain critical, you can effectively protect yourself from fake accounts and similar scams. Stay up to date, always be vigilant and don't fall for the tricks and tricks of scammers.

Don't miss any important news about online security! Sign up for the Mimikama newsletter and receive regular updates on current scams and how to protect yourself from them. Also visit Mimikama Media Education to deepen your knowledge of digital threats and make your online experiences safer.

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Notes:
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