Social media has established itself as an important medium for exchanging information and news. From event notices to urgent calls for help – the platforms have become an integral part of our everyday lives. But what if an urgent call for help is nothing more than a devious trap?

The wrong cry for help

Do you know the feeling when your heart swells when you hear about a missing child? The latest status update making the rounds on Facebook exploits this very compassion to lure us into a trap. (We have already HERE ). He speaks of intensive efforts to find a kidnapped girl. Alleged evidence, including authenticated surveillance camera footage, was published on an official website. We should help identify the perpetrator. But here's the catch: there is no kidnapped girl. The whole thing is a hoax.

The trigger on Facebook looks like this

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Screenshot: Facebook

If you click on this status post, you will end up on a fake Facebook page!

How does the trap work?

The post contains a link to a website that looks like the official Facebook page. It's labeled "Breaking News" and has a URL that, upon closer inspection, reveals that it is NOT Facebook. However, as soon as you click on the video that is supposed to show the hijacker, a window similar to the Facebook login window opens.

Screenshot of the fake Facebook page
Screenshot of the fake Facebook page

Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the unsuspecting users. A false cry for help that reads “UPDATE: Urgent help is needed! Intensive efforts are underway to find the missing girl. Verified Evidence: Security camera footage has been authenticated and published on our official website. Your support is crucial to identifying the perpetrator! The police are asking for help identifying the kidnapper! Help the desperate parents – watch the video and contribute to the urgent search!”

They want to help, they want to see the video, so they enter their login details. And boom! The scammers have what they want. Your Facebook data. This is phishing par excellence.

Screenshot of the fake Facebook page including the wrong login input mask
Screenshot of the fake Facebook page including the wrong login input mask

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a common form of online fraud in which cybercriminals attempt to obtain sensitive information such as passwords or credit card details by impersonating a trustworthy organization. In this case, the “Organization” is Facebook, and the “Trusted Information” is your credentials.

The consequences

Wondering what's so bad about someone having your Facebook login details? Well, that could mean

  1. Access to personal information: your chats, your posts, your pictures, everything.
  2. Misuse of your identity: You could impersonate yourself and harm your friends.
  3. Disclosure to third parties: Your information could end up on the black market for personal information.
  4. Further phishing: With access to your account, they could launch further phishing attacks.

How to protect yourself

Protecting yourself from such phishing attempts is not rocket science. Here are some tips:

  • Be skeptical: If something sounds too dramatic or urgent, it might be.
  • Check the URL: Look closely to see if the URL looks real or is fake.
  • Do not enter login details on unknown sites: If you are asked to log in, check that you are actually on the correct website.

Conclusion

  • The children pictured in the message above have not actually been missing or abducted.
  • The post, disguised as a cry for help, is just a decoy aimed at stealing users' Facebook login details.
  • Every time the post is opened on Facebook, the current day date is automatically displayed to give the impression that the information is current.
  • The cities and locations mentioned will be adjusted to match the location of the user publishing the post. This gives the impression that the alleged kidnapping took place in the user's immediate vicinity.
  • The user publishing the post is probably unaware of this. This happens automatically because the user himself has fallen victim to the trap and his account has been compromised.
  • Those who fall for the scam should definitely change their Facebook password as soon as possible!

You can get further help directly on Facebook at: Hacked and fake accounts

As cruel as it sounds, scammers have no heart. They play with our feelings and take advantage of our willingness to help. It's time to be vigilant and not fall into these sneaky traps. Protect your data, protect yourself. In the information age, knowledge is power – and in this case, your best defense against phishing.

Help us make our online community safer! Download the attached sharepic and share it on your Facebook feed or stories. The more people we can reach with this, the safer our digital world will become. Always remember: think first, then click!

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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 )