Facebook: “Safety & detection” – False security warnings

Fraudsters are up to mischief on Facebook by pretending to be part of the social network and threatening to deactivate user accounts due to alleged copyright infringements or violations of the terms of use. As a way out, verification is offered via a specific link.

Beware of phishing traps on Facebook

The aim of this scam is to lure users into a phishing trap and steal their access to their accounts. The fraudsters are not squeamish about this: they mark numerous pages in their messages and claim that the account will be deactivated due to violations of the terms of use. Reasons given include using a false name or photo of another person, sharing misleading content or insulting other users.

The threat: You should verify your account to avoid being blocked. However, there is a deceptive intention behind this, because the link provided leads to fake pages that imitate the design of the social network. Pressure is also built up by specifying a certain time window in which one should act.

What happens after the click?

Anyone who clicks on the link puts themselves or their Facebook account at risk: Instead of a legitimate Facebook page, a fake page opens asking users to enter their login details. If you enter this, you suddenly end up back at the real login - a clever trick to arouse less suspicion. But at this point, the login details are already in the hands of the fraudsters, who now have free access to the account and the pages and groups associated with it.

How can you protect yourself?

Such fraudulent scams are not uncommon on Facebook and have names such as “Facebook Support”, “Page Protection Identity” or, for example, “Social Network Registry Corporation” - there are probably no limits to the fraudsters' imagination. Users should always be vigilant and critically examine suspicious sites or messages to avoid falling victim to such phishing scams.

In the current case, the incorrect spelling of the page name is also a clue: “Safety & identification” should probably read “Safety & Identification”.

A useful tip for anyone who is unsure: try logging in with fantasy data. If the login works, that's a sure sign that it's a fake site. This method helps verify the authenticity of a login page without revealing any real data.

questions and answers

Question 1: How do users identify fake Facebook verification prompts?
Answer 1: By paying attention to the URL, checking the message for inconsistencies, and being skeptical of re-verification requests.

Question 2: What should users do if they land on a phishing page?
Answer 2: You should not enter any personal information, leave the page immediately and report the incident to Facebook.

Question 3: Is it possible to distinguish phishing pages from real Facebook pages?
Answer 3: Yes, by checking the URL, missing typical security features and entering made-up data in the login field.

Question 4: What happens if users have entered their data on a phishing site?
Answer 4: Fraudsters gain access to the Facebook account and can use it for further fraudulent activities.

Question 5: How can users protect themselves from such phishing attempts?
Answer 5: By being careful with unknown links, critically questioning the authenticity of messages and protecting your login data.

Conclusion

The fight against phishing on Facebook requires vigilance and critical questioning of supposedly official requests to verify or update account information. Users should always verify the authenticity of sites before revealing personal information and be aware that fraudsters are developing increasingly sophisticated methods to obtain valuable data. By following simple security measures and reporting suspicious activity, you can effectively protect yourself from losing access to your Facebook account.

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