10 Common Facebook Scams

What they are, how they work, and ways to avoid becoming a victim

Though many social media users have moved to Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, Facebook is still a prime target for scammers. Read on to find out how they work so you can sidestep their tricks.

1. Romance scams
The scammer initiates an online relation-ship, building trust with you. They may correspond with you for weeks, revealing what appears to be very personal infor-mation. Eventually, they request money for a flight, a visa, or another important reason. Never send money to someone you haven’t met, even if you feel close to them online.

2. Lottery scams
An organization will contact you, claiming you’re the winner of a lottery and that you can claim your money for a small fee. Before responding, think carefully about whether you’ve entered any contests lately. Keep in mind that real contests don’t require a fee to claim your winnings.

3. Loan scams
Here, the criminals send messages or create posts offering immediate loans at a low interest rate for a small fee. They may draw you in by mentioning things you could use the loan for, such as to pay off student loans or buy a car. But don’t buy it. Legitimate loan sources don’t require a fee.

4. Coupon code scams
The trickster will post an offer to a coupon code but will require your personal information before granting access to it. Consider whether saving a few bucks is worth giving away your valuable information. Companies that really want your business will simply list the code for you to use.

5. Job scams
Scammers post fake job postings online to try to get your personal information or money. It can be tempting if you’re conducting a job search to follow every possible lead, but no legitimate employer should be asking for those things.

6. Fake medical fundraisers
Scammers will send messages or create posts, posing as someone in medical distress and requesting funds to help with doctor bills. This method can work particularly well if the profile is a clone of the profile of someone you personally know. Tugging at your heartstrings is a way of drawing you in.

7. Shopping scams
In this case, scammers will create a fake shopping account and publish offers at unusually low prices, requesting your money and sending nothing in return. Be sure to do your homework on any company before conducting business with them on Facebook or anywhere else.

8. Giveaway scams
You’ll see an offer on Facebook that talks about giving away a valuable item like an iPad and includes a link that supposedly leads to a form you need to fill out to enter. But that link instead leads to malware. Always think twice before clicking a link from unknown sources.

9. Facebook quiz scams
Here you’ll click a link to participate in a fun quiz, only to be asked for access to your profile or for personal information. Discovering your ‘80s pop star spirit animal may sound like fun but, because these quizzes can come from anywhere, it’s best to avoid them altogether.

10. Phishing scams
Some scammers will pose as Facebook itself, sending you a message that your account is being disabled and including a link to “help” that leads to malware. Look at the source of this and all messages to verify their origins.

It may be hard to remember all these possible tricks, so to stay safe, just keep in mind these general rules:

• Be wary of anyone on Facebook asking you to perform any action, even if the request appears to be from someone you know.
• Fiercely protect your personal information.
• If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.