Death is a part of life, but the news that someone you know may have died is now being used against you. Scammers have been caught using it as a phishing lure on Facebook to trick users — and get them to hand over their accounts.
According to the cybersecurity company DataProt, the ‘Look who died’ scam is currently making the rounds on Facebook. Like other phishing scams, this one uses a sense of urgency to pique the curiosity of unsuspecting users on the social media platform.
This phishing scam begins with a Facebook message from one of your friends, with the subject line “Look who died.” It then provides a link to a news article supposedly about someone you know. As you may have guessed, the article is fake, and it takes you to a phishing site.
Victims are prompted to enter their Facebook username and password to read the article. While giving up this information freely is an easy way to have your Facebook hacked, the cybercriminals behind this scam could also use it to install malware on your devices.
Another thing worth noting about this scam is that once the hackers have one person’s credentials, they then use them to sign in and lock them out of their accounts. With a brand new account in hand, they then forward the message to the victim’s friends, hoping to get even more people to fall for this scam.
How to stay safe from phishing on social media
Just like when checking emails in your inbox, you need to be careful when opening and responding to messages on Facebook and other social media sites.
Even if a message appears to come from a friend (as it does in this case), you still want to avoid clicking on any links. At the same time, you want to be mindful regarding the last time this person messaged you. If you message each other frequently, everything may be above board but if this is someone you haven’t talked to in a long time, there’s no telling whether or not their account has been compromised. Instead of your friend or family member, you could be talking to a hacker.
To stay safe from malware and other viruses spread through phishing attacks, you want to make sure you have the best antivirus software installed on your PC, the best Mac antivirus software on your Mac and one of the best Android antivirus apps on your Android smartphone. This way, if you do accidentally download malware, your data and devices will be protected. If you’re really worried about being hacked though, investing in one of the best identity theft protection services can help you recover from identity theft and get your life back.
From dead relatives and friends to unpaid invoices and QR codes, scammers have all kinds of tricks up their sleeves to gain access to your accounts and the data they contain. This is why you need to remain vigilant on social media and when responding to messages in general. Clicking on one link and letting your emotions get the best of you is all it can take to fall victim to a phishing scam like this one.
