If you run a Facebook page, you have most likely received a message stating that unless you take the necessary action your page will be deleted.
These messages are fake.
Sometimes, this is obvious – the page/profile by which the message was sent might have an obscure name, or its photo might give it away. Other times, the deception is more crafted: official-sounding language, graphics lifted from Facebook’s interface, et cetera.
The messenger uses this method to try to lure unsuspecting users into a phishing attempt with the aim of hacking into the page, which is typically a business page. Once it takes control of it, the scammers can reach an even wider audience – the page’s followers – and employ other tactics, such as posting hoax posts linking to fraudulent sites that can steal users’ personal information (see some of our earlier fact checks on the subject, including this one and this one).
The fake Facebook messages sent to pages work in a similar way to other cyber scams – they contain fraudulent links used for hacking purposes.
As with any other suspicious message you receive, just delete and block. And make sure not to click on any URLs.
Fact Check, Society, Technology
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Originally published here.
