These messages that you receive from friends via Facebook Messenger have been circulating for years. A video preview with short text that usually says “Is that you in the video?” or something similar. Often garnished with a frightened emoji, so one has to assume that it is a video with rather sensitive content. In this current case, the message is “it’s true?!?”
Do not click or enter any login details
But the sender is not our Facebook friends, but rather fraudsters who are trying to use this scam to crack Facebook accounts.
What can happen
If you're curious, you click or tap on it anyway. After all, the link seems to come from a trustworthy person, right? The scammers have different approaches, which is why the following can happen:
- INSTALLING A BROWSER EXTENSION: You come to a page with a video, but you supposedly have to install a browser plugin to see it. However, this plugin intercepts the login data for Facebook and you can never see a video
- FAKE FACEBOOK LOGIN PAGE: You are taken to a mock Facebook page where you have to enter your login details to watch the video. Of course no video appears, but the scammers now have the login details
- VIRUS / TROJAN: You catch a Trojan.
"I got hacked!"
If you enter your access data, a cycle is started. The messages with the alleged video are sent to the entire friends list, and here too there may be “victims” who click on the video and enter their access data. Facebook users who have been made aware of the news often respond by posting that their Facebook profile has been hacked.
What you should do if you get this video message on Facebook Messenger : Write back that your friend should urgently change their Facebook account login details
What you should NOT do, however, is click on the picture sent via Facebook Messenger out of sheer curiosity and fear. The video described simply does not exist because it is a fraud trap!
Fell into the trap on Facebook?
If, despite all caution, you fall victim to a phishing attack, it is first important to keep an overview. In this case, change your Facebook access data immediately and, when asked, log out all of your devices and follow Facebook's instructions!
1. I think my Facebook account has been hacked or is being used by someone without my consent
2. I think my boyfriend/girlfriend's Facebook account has been hacked.
What to do if you are affected?
- Change the Facebook password of your Facebook account immediately
- Check whether the correct email address is stored in the Facebook account.
- Inform your Facebook friends list about the mishap.
- Scan your computer for malware.
- If necessary, remove all harmful browser extensions in the browser and check whether there are any other extensions/add-ons in the browser that you have not installed or that you are not aware of.
Also read
No train accident in Berlin.
Or Bochum. Or Graz! Or… But phishing on Facebook! Facebook and Instagram: Recognizing fake competitions
This is how the Facebook news feed algorithm works
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 )