Scammers create fake emergencies on Facebook to get your money

Scammers create fake emergencies on Facebook to get your money

If you get a message from a Facebook user asking for money because they have been robbed while on vacation or met with an accident, please don’t send cash. It is a part of the latest fraud on social media.

A relatively new Facebook scam has been surfacing in which a user’s account is hacked and then used to send messages of alarm to get the user’s friends to send money. Azamgarh police are probing a case of social welfare officer Rajesh Yadav posted in the district whose Facebook account was compromised and used from the scam.

“Hacking into web accounts and stealing passwords isn’t new. But combining those techniques with the trusted network of friends and acquaintances are causing some concern as people tend to believe and transfer a small amount of amount, said Azamgarh’s superintendent of police Triveni Singh.

In the latest case, Yadav’s Facebook account was hacked and an SOS message was sent to people on his friend list. His relative and a friend fell prey to the trap and deposited Rs 10,000 each on the number given on the message. During the investigation, it was found that the mobile number was linked to a digital wallet which was opened using fake documents.

Social media giant advises users to confirm via telephone or e-mail that a friend is truly in trouble before sending money, to use antivirus software, and not to publish information like addresses or telephone numbers.