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Well, it happened to me.
When we tell you that NOBODY is immune to cyber attack, we mean it.
A cyber attack is not just one thing. I receive all the same smishing texts (i.e., text messages that try to trick me into clicking a link to get that rebate from a company where I know I have never shopped). I get phishing emails trying to get me to click on a link to verify my Wells Fargo bank account (where I have never had an account). I am cautious not to fall for these.
I also use difficult-to-guess passwords, different passwords on all my accounts, and multi-factor authentication. Even with all that, I still became a cyber victim.
On Saturday morning, I received a text message from my niece asking if I had created a new Facebook page, as she had just received a “friend request” from a Facebook account featuring my picture and name. She knew it wasn’t right because we were already Facebook friends. (I’m so proud of her for the suspicion that I have fostered in her 😊).
She sent me a screenshot of the page that was supposedly me. Yes, it had my profile picture, the same cover photo, and my name. But there were no posts, other images, or friends—just a brand new profile that had been created just two hours earlier. It was a very creepy feeling to see that.
Why would someone want to clone a Facebook page? First, you need to understand that you cannot communicate with someone on Facebook Messenger unless you are friends. Once the fake profile page is created, the scammer sends friend requests to everyone I have listed as a friend. The assumption is that they will accept the friend request and will now be friends with both me and the scammer.
What can the scammer do now? Well, they can communicate with my friends (now their ‘friends’) in Messenger, posing as me. They can ask them for money or a favor. They might trick them into giving them passwords or other information that can be used to steal from their bank accounts or maybe even steal their identity if they get enough data.
Next week, I’ll tell you how I responded to and stopped the cyber attack before it could do any harm.
At Commonwealth Sentinel, we can assess your existing IT security and collaborate with your team to enhance it. We can also provide a complete source of services. At Commonwealth Sentinel, we stay focused on cyber security so you can focus on other things. Contact us today or sign up for a free consultation.
At Commonwealth Sentinel, we stay focused on cyber security so you can focus on other things.