Statewide—The Better Business Bureau is warning the public of a phishing scam hitting Facebook users. The scam comes as a direct message to users with a link to a video and asking “Is this you?” Usually, the messages come from people you personally know and trust.
If you receive a message like this, it’s likely an attempt to steal your personal information. Don’t click the link. According to the BBB, following those links will take you to a clone of a legitimate website. For instance, you may end up on a website that looks like Facebook, but it’s actually designed to steal your information when you log in. If you successfully “log in” and enter information it asks for, cybercriminals are able to steal your data.
The BBB has tips to protect yourself from becoming a victim to a phishing attack:
Think before you click. Check with whoever sent you the message before following the link.
Know videos play when you click them. If you’re asked to go to another website or enter additional information, it’s probably not legitimate.
Use common sense. If anything in the message seems unlikely, use your best judgment.
If you’ve already received a message, let the person whose account it came from know their account has been compromised.
There’s no reason to worry if you received the message and you didn’t click the link. If you did click the link, report the account to Facebook and change login information that might be the same on other websites. You can also use antivirus software to see if your computer has been infected with malware. Consumers can also report fraud and schemes to the BBB Scam Tracker.
