This claim is very persistent, but these are not hackers, but profile copiers!
The scam is not new, but unfortunately people still fall for it. Fraudsters copy Facebook profiles and use them to scam money out of gullible victims. Many people assume that their Facebook profile has been hacked. Thats not right.
![Are all Facebook accounts “hacked?”](https://www.mimikama.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-11-29_07_23_29-CompatWindow.png "No, it's not "almost all Facebook accounts are hacked"!")
The text in full:
“Be careful, almost all Facebook accounts have been or are being hacked at the moment.
The profile picture and your name will be used to open a new FB account. Then they try to convince your friends to add you as a friend again... and voila, they try to ruin your life! Your friends will think it's your account and accept the friend request. From this moment on, these pirates can write whatever they want in your name... I am informing you today that I will NOT be opening a new account, so please do not accept a second invitation from me."
[mk_ad]
This is how the scam works
You receive a friend request on Facebook from someone you are already friends with. Sometimes the name is spelled differently in an inconspicuous place. If you accept the request, you will receive a message from the alleged friend in Facebook chat or Messenger. It says, for example: “Hello, can you give me your cell phone number, I need it urgently.” You should be attentive at this point! Because the scammer copied your real Facebook friend's profile - with a profile picture and cover photo that are public. Those who put a little more effort have also copied older public photos into the wrong profile. So if you quickly click on the name and want to see who is behind it, you may not notice any difference from your real friend.
An indication that something is wrong can also be bad German, as the example of such a chat shows:
![A chat like this on Facebook is suspicious](https://www.mimikama.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/100764A.jpg "No, it's not "almost all Facebook accounts are hacked"!")
Before you reveal your number, contact your real friend in another way - for example by calling him. Or ask the sender of the Facebook message a specific question that only your real friend can actually answer.
Continue with the scam: If you have actually given away your cell phone number, you will receive an SMS shortly afterwards. This friend also writes this on Facebook in your chat. The SMS contains a numerical code that you should also tell the “friend”. And this is where the trap closes. The code is used by the fraudster to initiate a payment that will be deducted from your cell phone bill or prepaid card!
It works like this: The fraudster sits at a PC, orders something and needs a cell phone number to pay. Then he will state yours if you have told him them. To ensure that no random string of numbers has been entered as the cell phone number, the payment service sends an SMS with a code to the number. That's why the scammer asks you about it. Only when the code is entered when ordering does it cost money - in this case yours if you actually gave away the code. This will then be paid via your cell phone bill or prepaid card. In this case, the cell phone number alone is not enough to rip you off money.
This is how you can protect yourself
- If a friend on Facebook makes a friend request again or a friend asks for your cell phone number on Facebook, contact them another way and ask if they actually ask for your number themselves.
- If the profile comes from a scammer, report it to Facebook. To do this, open the profile on your PC and click on the three dots next to “Send Message” in the top right of the cover image and then click on “Report Profile”. In the app on your smartphone, open the profile and tap “More” under the profile picture, then tap “Report”.
- Don't let everyone see your friends list. Facebook tip video explains how to change it to non-public
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- Don't leave your old profile pictures public - the fewer photos of you that are publicly visible, the less information fraudsters have to get a copy of your profile. Facebook tip provides instructions :
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- If you have fallen for the scam, you can get advice from an expert from the consumer advice center. He can work with you to explore the chances of perhaps saving the money after all. You can find an advice center near you on the NRW consumer advice center website .
- Regardless, have your cell phone provider set up a so-called third-party block. All it usually takes is a phone call or you can look online in your customer area. You can also have the third-party block set up by letter. The NRW consumer advice center has a sample letter .
The rip-off is also described in a video from WEBiTIPP
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[mk_ad]
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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 )