"Warning! Almost all Facebook accounts are duplicated. do not accept a second invitation with my name. I don't have two profiles! Copy and paste on your wall!”

You can currently see this message again on Facebook. This is currently being published by many users of the platform and it is not fake. This warning is posted again and again because fraudsters have been copying existing Facebook profiles 1:1 for years.

This is not the “hackers” often mentioned by users who take over the respective account after a successful phishing attempt, but rather a copy of an account.

This is how the scammers do it:

Here, criminals collect all “publicly accessible information” and create a new profile on Facebook. Publicly available information means all information that can be found even if you are not friends with the person.

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This includes the profile and cover photo and all personal information that you have entered under “Info” and made available to the public - including friend lists if they are set to “public”. Status posts that are shared “publicly” are also often included.

Once all the information that needs to be collected has been collected, a new Facebook identity is created with the same name and the profile and cover photo used so far. The fraudster then searches through the victim's entire friend list and sends another friend request under a pretext, for example because the existing profile has been blocked. If the unwitting friend accepts this request, the trap will close.

This supposed friend, who is actually the scammer, sends the new victim a message asking him to provide his cell phone number again. Numeric codes will then be received, with which extreme caution should be exercised! Because these codes are worth cash!

Example of a message from a scammer:

Screenshot of the Facebook message
Screenshot of the Facebook message

Image in plain text:

I sent you a PiN and it is very important to me and when you received the SMS you could send me this code Okay?

But if you send him this numerical code, the fraudster will redeem it at a payment service provider and charge his victim's cell phone bill. If you only pass on your cell phone number, this will not lead to fraud. However, if you pass on the code, it will be expensive!

NOTE: Never pass on payment or confirmation codes sent via SMS, even if they supposedly come from a friend! Neither via Messenger nor other social networks!

The best thing to do is to ask your friends directly and/or in person whether they have actually sent you a new friend request.

Would you like a sample?

Which profile is the original – and which profile is the fake?

image(These images come from our report: Fake Facebook profiles - cheated friends - expensive bills)
(These pictures come from our report: Fake Facebook profiles – cheated friends – expensive bills )

I was ripped off – what can I do?

We recommend that you file a report with the relevant state criminal police office. In view of the increasing number of internet crimes, special units have been set up here. The so-called Cyber ​​Crime Competence Center works in a technically highly professional and networked manner. Officials are well aware of the Facebook scam with fake profiles. Some organized gangs have already been stopped - including in the area of ​​Facebook profile copies.

To do this, the officials are of course dependent on reports and therefore the help of those affected. According to the LKA Saxony, the number of unreported cases of such fraud is still very, very high.

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Support consumer advice centers!

Those affected and those seeking advice can also seek advice from one of the 16 consumer .

In addition to personal consultations, which can be arranged for Saxony, for example, by calling the Saxony-wide appointment telephone number 0341-6962929 , email advice is also possible on the Saxony Consumer Center website.

Telephone advice is also guaranteed. All information about this can be found on the website: https://www.verbraucherzentrale-sachsen.de/telefonberatung


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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )