Scam of the Week: Real Email, Fake Facebook

In this week’s scam, cybercriminals are trying to steal your Facebook login information. They send you an email claiming your Facebook page violates copyright laws. This scam is particularly convincing because the email you receive appears to be from a legitimate sender. The email even contains Facebook logos, although if you look closely, you’ll notice they look slightly different from the real Facebook logo. The email urges you to log in to Facebook to appeal this decision immediately, or you will lose access to your account’s features. 

You are directed to click a button in the email, which takes you to what appears to be a Facebook support page. The support page will prompt you to provide your login information to have your account “reviewed.” But your Facebook page never really violated copyright laws. The Facebook support page is actually fake and controlled by cybercriminals. If you enter your Facebook user credentials, the cybercriminals will steal them! 

Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to a Facebook phishing scam:

• Be suspicious of unusual emails, even if they appear to be from a legitimate email address. Facebook won't send you emails threatening immediate action.
• Log in to Facebook through its official website or mobile app to check your account’s status. Don’t click any links in an email claiming to be from Facebook. 
• Always check logos and spelling in emails claiming to be from Facebook. In this particular scam, the emails contained fake Facebook logos, some with misspelled words.