Social media can open the door for scammers

Facebook and other social media are a great way to keep up with friends, look into businesses and let friends and family away from home have a window into the user’s world.
But these social media outlets are also increasingly becoming the focus of internet scams committed on businesses and individuals around Acadiana.
BBB has recently received calls from both residents and businesses reporting scams where their Facebook page was hijacked, friend lists and contacts were stolen or duplicate sites were created to either run scams or generate contact lists for existing scams.
One resident recently reported being taken by a fake Facebook “lottery” after she paid $1,300 to collect the prize money.
She was contacted by the scammers through a friend’s hacked account – a common occurrence.
BBB offers the following tips for recovering from Facebook scams and hacks:
––Change your password. If you have fallen victim to a phishing scheme or hack attack, it’s likely that someone else has obtained your password and is using it to access your account. Remember, the more complex the password, the safer you’ll be.
––Clean out your apps. Resist downloading apps which “allow” access to your profile. Spammers often use this open door to take over your profile. If you fell for a rogue app and mistakenly clicked “Allow,” or if you notice excessive activity on your account, you should edit your list of apps and remove any suspicious ones.
––Delete spam messages and alerts from your wall and Facebook inbox. The fewer there are, the less likely you or your friends will be to click on them.
––If you suspect your account has been compromised, alert Facebook. To report privacy breaches, direct reports to privacy@facebook.com. If a scammer gained access to your account password via phishing attack, fill out Facebook’s phishing report.
––It’s a good practice to manually scan your computer hard drive for malicious software on a regular basis.
–– If you believe that someone has taken control of your profile and is in the process of spamming your friends, log out of Facebook to stop the attack.
Please contact Better Business Bureau at (337) 981-3497 24 or bbb.org 24 hours a day for information on businesses throughout North America.
Consumers can also sign up for the free BBB “Scoop” eNewsletter by visiting bbb.org and clicking on the “Programs & Services” tab.
BBB Serving Acadiana services the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, St. Landry and Vermilion.