How to avoid Phishing Scams on Facebook

When it comes to phishing scams, Facebook is one of the most popular targets. Scammers will often create fake Facebook pages or send out phishing emails to steal your personal information, such as your login details or credit card information.

If you're not careful, it's easy to fall for one of these scams. That's why it's important to know how to spot a phishing scam and what to do if you think you've been targeted.

Common Phishing Scams

There are a few phishing scams that are particularly common on Facebook. Be on the lookout for these, and don't fall for them!

The Friend Request scam: this is where you receive a message from someone saying that you've received a friend request from them, but when you click on the link to view the request, you're taken to a fake website where you're asked to enter your password. This is a scam to try and steal your password.

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The Wall Post scam: this is where you see a post on your friends' wall that looks like it's from Facebook, but when you click on the link, you're taken to a fake website. Again, the aim here is to steal your password.

The Message scam: this is where you receive a message from someone that looks like it's from Facebook, but when you click on the link, you're taken to a fake website. The aim here is to steal your password or personal information.

How to avoid Phishing Scams

Now that you know what to look out for, here are some tips on how to avoid falling for a phishing scam: Never click on a link in an email or message unless you're sure it's from a trusted source. If you're not sure, don't click!

If you're unsure about a website, look for signs that it might be fake. For example, if the URL is slightly different from the usual Facebook URL, or if there are spelling mistakes on the site, these can be red flags that it's not legitimate.

Run a free security scan in a few clicks

Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.

If you're ever asked to enter your password on a website, make sure you're 100% sure it's a legitimate website before doing so. You can usually tell by looking at the URL - if it's different from the usual Facebook URL or if there are any spelling mistakes, it's probably not legitimate.

What to do if you suspect you've been phished

If you think you might have fallen for a phishing scam, there are a few things you can do:

Change your password: uf you've entered your password on a fake website, it's possible that the scammers now have access to your account. So, the first thing you should do is reset your password. Go to Facebook and choose "Forgot your password?" from the drop-down menu.

Check your activity log: if you're worried that the scammers might have been posting on your behalf or sending messages to your friends, go to your activity log and check for any suspicious activity. To do this, click on the down arrow in the top right-hand corner of Facebook and select "Activity Log".

Report the scam: once you've changed your password and checked your activity log, you should report the fraud to Facebook. To do this, click on the down arrow in the top right-hand corner of Facebook and select "Report a Problem". By following these simple tips, you can help to protect yourself from phishing scams on Facebook. Stay safe!

Run a free security scan in a few clicks

Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.