“Is that you in the video?” How harmless a question like that seems, especially in a world where we regularly share photos and videos with our friends and family on Facebook. as CHIP reports , this innocence is only skin deep and hides a sophisticated scam that is widespread on Facebook, the social media giant with more than three billion active users.
The “Is that you?” Trick: A goldmine for scammers
Security researcher Anna Lena Fehlhaber calls this scam “account hijacking” and explains how it works. The trick exploits the innocence and trust of Facebook users and manipulates them into compromising their own accounts.
How scammers work
The scheme is simple but effective. The scammer sends a message, usually through an unsuspecting Facebook user's account, asking, "Is that you in the video?" and adds a link. The curious and unsuspecting users click on the link to see what video it is. Since the message comes from a “friend,” the risk of falling into the trap is much greater.
The “click” to take over your account
However, the link does not lead to a video, but rather serves to take over the user's Facebook account.
The wrong Facebook login page
Fehlhaber explains that users are usually redirected to fake websites that look as if they have to log in to Facebook again. When they enter their login information, it goes directly to the scammers.
How scammers benefit from the “Is that you?” trick
It is obvious that the main purpose of these scams is to gain access to users' Facebook accounts. But how do fraudsters use these accounts for their own benefit? Fehlhaber explains that there are several ways to profit from this scam.
Bulk messages and posts
After taking over an account, scammers often use it a few days or even weeks later to send mass messages to friends or post posts, usually via automated scripts.
Reused passwords
Another advantage for fraudsters is the fact that many users use the same password for multiple accounts. A survey by the portal http://web.de from 2022 showed that 57 percent of Germans use the same password for several or even all logins. This reuse of passwords makes it easier for fraudsters to gain access to other accounts as well.
Use for advertising
After intercepting Facebook account data, fraudsters sometimes use the accounts to display advertisements. As Fehlhaber explains, this is another way for criminals to make money.
Conclusion
The “Is that you?” scam is a sophisticated fraud tactic that is obviously worthwhile for criminals. It is important to be vigilant and pay attention to messages with links from “friends”, especially if they contain an unexpected question like “Is that you in the video?” It is always better to be careful than to regret it . Therefore, it is recommended to use different passwords for different accounts to minimize the risk of fraudsters gaining access to more than one account. In the era of digital friendship, you not only have to protect your friends, but also your data.
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!

Also read: Facebook and Instagram in a surveillance frenzy
Source:
CHIP
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