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What is a Facebook Friend Scam?

Have you ever received a ‘Friend Request’ from someone that you were already friends with on Facebook – but something seems just slightly off? More than likely, this a scammer pretending to be someone you know under a fake account.

Scammers will create fake Facebook profiles using the names, profile pictures and posts of real people. They will then send friend requests to those that are ‘friends’ with the genuine account, claiming to be a new account. Common reasons include: “My old account was hacked” or “I forgot my password, so I made a new account.” Usually, this is not the case, but rather a scammer impersonating someone else for the purpose of committing financial scams.

 

How they Work?

Once the scammer has successfully befriended the victim using the fake account, they will attempt to engage in regular conversations to increase trust. This tactic is known as ‘social engineering,’ where scammers manipulate people into sharing personal information or sensitive data they wouldn't normally otherwise. Once the scammer has gained your trust, they will start asking questions that are out of the ordinary or claim that they need your help due to an accident. These messages create a sense of urgency, as the scammer wants you to panic and act without thinking. For example, “Hey Mum, I’m currently in the hospital. Can you send me $100 to cover the medical fees.” Some scammers will also send you links which can redirect you to a phishing website or download malware onto your device.

 

How to Identify?

• Check the Profile – Before engaging with the person, check the profile to see when the account was created, if you share any mutual friends or whether there is any activity on the account.
• Ask the Person – Contact the person outside of Facebook to verify whether they have created a new Facebook account. If they haven’t, notify them that someone is attempting to impersonate them.

 

How to Protect Yourself

There are several measures that you can take to protect yourself:

• Always verify the authenticity of incoming friend requests and profiles.
• If you have accidentally accepted a friend request from a fake profile, block and report the account to prevent future contact.
• If you are aware of a fake profile, warn your friends to prevent the scammer from targeting others.
• Avoid clicking suspicious links online.

 

If you suspect a Friend Request Scam on Facebook, the most effective way to report it is through Facebook directly.