Don’t be alarmed if you receive a notice stating that your Facebook account has been suspended due to a copyright violation. It’s almost certainly a phishing scam.
The latest phishing attempt to acquire Facebook accounts is gaining traction. Copyright violations are being threatened in mass e-mails to users, like the one we received below. The goal is to steal the login credentials of the users. In this blog, we explain how the new technique works and how to avoid falling for it.
A closer examination reveals that the con isn’t all that clever. There are warning indicators at every step. What matters is that you remain calm and aware. Even the most cautious people might be led down dangerous pathways by panic. For starters, the email From: field is from messaging-service @ post.xero.com, not from Facebook itself. This is an immediate red flag.
The Facebook Policy Infringement Scam Script
Ours was this, but you may see variations on this theme:
We just received a report from a third party that the content you posted infringes or otherwise violates their rights.
We have received numerous reports against your activity and the content you have published violates our rules.
Referring to these claims which target you as the fanpage representative your page has been set up in the deletion process and it requires immediate attention.
We try to stay as transparent as possible with all of our customers henceforth compliance with the Facebook Policy is required to ensure a quality and brand-safe environment for Facebook’s users.
If you believe these reports are inaccurate, please click the link below: https://www.facebook.com/115831307797303
We are glad to help you,
Facebook Team
They direct you to a URL where you can contact Facebook Business Support. You will be directed to a bogus Facebook fan page called “Facebook Business Support” if you do so. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the letters in the name aren’t English. Furthermore, this is not the official Facebook Business Help Center website:
The scammer will request sensitive information such as login passwords. Scammers/hackers will get their hands on the information you provide. As a result, they have access to both your Facebook account and your fan pages. They could even utilize the data for other schemes, such as identity theft.
How to Avoid Phishing Scams on Facebook
- Take your time and do not panic;
- Check the sender’s address before clicking on links in e-mails. Facebook is unlikely to send notifications from non-Facebook mail domains, for example;
- Look for strange lettering, mistakes, bad grammar, and typos in e-mail text, and assume any message containing them is suspicious;
- Did the email start with Greetings? Almost no one writes like that, especially a huge corporation. This is a red flag.
- Always log in to your account through the app or by entering the URL in your browser’s address bar (by typing it, not by clicking a link), even if you suspect you’ve received an actual notice of terms-of-service violation;
- For assistance, contact Facebook directly. Instead of using links provided by others;
- Use caution when sharing personal information. Please don’t post it on the internet!
- Never click on links from unknown resources. Check before you take any action!
Expert Advice from Wedgwood Insurance
We’ve seen Facebook scams before and we’re here to provide guidance for cyber liability protection. There’s more to insurance than the price of the policy and Wedgwood goes above and beyond for our clients with expert advice you can trust. But don’t take our word for it – there’s a reason we’re Newfoundland & Labrador’s most trusted insurance broker.
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