I have a couple clients ask me about strange emails they have received from facebook and how the email looked liked spam. I just wanted to remind people of a few basic things to watch for with online scams.
With millions of people using facebook it can be an easy target for internet scams and email phishing scams. Thieves are looking for any way to get you to click on their links or attachments so they can get to your personal information.
You can avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, by knowing how to spot red flags in scam messages:
Password changes – Facebook is NOT going to send you an email with a new password. If Facebook suspects fraudulently activity with your account, they will send you a direct message to your Facebook account, and instruct you to go to your “Settings” button to change your password yourself.
Attachments/Links – You should always be suspicious of emails that instruct you to download an attachment or click on a link. Attachments and links are the primary methods by which viruses, spyware and malware are spread.
Email address – If you only have your personal email address on your Facebook account and you get a “Facebook” email on your business, you should be suspicious and not open the email.
Grammar, punctuation and typos – The grammar and incorrect punctuation used in the latest email scam indicates that English is probably not the sender’s first language. “Dear user of Facebook” is an example. It would be more appropriate to say “Dear Facebook User”. Grammatical errors and awkward phrasing are tips that the sender is probably in another country and that the email is a scam.
Simple advice to keep you safe online:
- Delete any suspicious emails as soon as you receive them.
- Do not click on any links in strange emails.
- Do not download any attachments.
- Do not call any telephone numbers that may be in the email.
- Protect your computer with a good quality, up-to-date, anti-virus software program.
Example of facebook scam email:
Dear user of facebook.
Because of the measures taken to provide safety to our clients, your password has been changed.
You can find your new password in attached document.
Thanks,
Your Facebook.
Most Facebook users are young people, I think parents should talk to their children about Facebook scams and how to spot them. Young people are good with computers, and can learn how to avoid scams.
