Email was once the go-to delivery method for some types of scams. The good news is that many people are aware of the scams and digital dangers in the email arena. The bad news is that many digital criminals have recycled and updated their digital scams as they have followed the Facebook crowd.
Below are some digital threats commonly used against us, compiled by a professor at the American college Walsh College, Dr. Dave Schippers.
Common Facebook scams
Fake Links/Fake Clicks – Fake news, free gifts, etc., can be distribution methods for malware. Like email scams of the past, these stories, news, or useful offers that grab your attention. The point is to get you to click on a link or share something that spreads malware. Examples include:
- Direct messages with links or attempts to get you to watch something
- Links that result in another login request to the Facebook/Email provider – this is to collect your account.
- Surveys – Some Facebook surveys are designed to collect information about users for identity theft/account hijacking/spear phishing (created attacks).
Fake accounts – Fake Facebook accounts can be involved in many different types of scams. Examples include:
- Account Cloning – I’ve seen this approach increase in frequency over the past year. Indicators of a cloned account include a second Facebook friend request – if you’re already connected on Facebook, you shouldn’t get a second Facebook friend request. The old email trick – “I’m in prison in a foreign country, can you send me money?” has migrated to Facebook with a different twist.
- Friend of a Friend/Relative – Some fake accounts are created and operated to trick you into trusting them. They promise or demand money within a short period of time. Many scams revolve around large sums of money if you provide a fee or personal information.
- Romance – Another common scam is requests to “be friends” or “…get to know you.” I’ve seen many people fall for these accounts. They can be grouped into two main categories:
- For fun – Some people create and operate fake accounts for their own personal needs or dysfunctions. They may not be looking for money and simply want attention. I have seen men pretend to be women and women pretend to be men in the digital world.
- For money – These scammers are skilled at taking the time to build a dependency. They may send you small amounts of money to build their credibility. Eventually, this leads to a need for money from you. Once this starts, they will go for anything they can get. Many of these scammers know how to pull on your heartstrings to get what they want.
Your employer – Sometimes it’s not about exploiting you, but who you work for. Cisco’s 2016 Annual Security Report listed malware delivered through Facebook spoofing as a leading delivery method for compromising organizational networks. Major cybersecurity measures are easily compromised by enticing someone to click on a link at work. Some employers block Facebook for these specific reasons.
Protect yourself – There are several key steps to protect yourself:
Configuration security – Many people think their accounts are secure and their details hidden. Many people close their posts but leave photos, controls, etc. open. These are all great sources of data for scammers to use against you. Close everything and test the setup. Only open the features you need. (If you have security-minded friends or family, ask them for help. Sometimes a second set of eyes can spot lost settings.)
Doubt of the real world – If you wouldn’t do it in the physical world, don’t do it in the digital world. If you met someone on the street who said they lived in your neighborhood 20 years ago and ten minutes later asked for your social security number to give you $2000, you would be suspicious. You should use the same scrutiny and judgment, and more, in the digital world. Just because someone says something is true, doesn’t mean it is. It just means they said it. “Never assume anything is true until you verify it for yourself.” If it sounds too good to be true, 99% of the time, it isn’t. Be careful.
Shih here the full article published on the website of the American college Welsh College, by Dr. Dave Schippers.