A new online scam is targeting users of the platforms Halflike Facebook And Instagram. If in recent days you have received a disturbing message on Messenger, apparently official, in which You are informed that your account will be deleted For alleged violations of the destination guidelines, be careful: it is probably a scam. This message, drawn up in order to seem authentic, invites you to click on a link that should be opened to avoid the definitive deactivation of the account. Too bad that, by providing your personal data in the online form that opens to the click on the link, the user himself will deliver the access keys to their account to the scammers. To defend yourself from this attack you need to Don’t respond to this message And above all, Don’t open any link.
How the Meta account scam works
The Truffaldino message looks like one urgent communicationwith peremptory and threatening tonesoften reporting one alleged complaint from other users. A “type” message you may receive is as follows:
HI! Notice on the account! We decided to definitively eliminate your Facebook account, since we received numerous reports from other accounts …
The link included leads to a web page artfully built to look like an official section of the Meta support. Behind that reassuring interface, in reality, a site managed by cybercriminals is hidden. On this portal it is asked to Insert access credentials to Facebook or Instagram. If you agree to provide this information, the scammers will have everything you need to freely access the profile of the unfortunate victim.
Once you enter the stolen account, the attackers can use it for various illegal activities. Among the main risks there is the possibility that The scammers split for youby contacting friends, family or colleagues with requests for money or other sensitive information. Some use compromised profiles to spread malware – Milly software that can infect other devices – or to try to access other connected accounts. This type of computer attack can have chain effects, making many other people from your contact network vulnerable.
How to defend yourself from the goal scam and what to do
What can you do to protect yourself from these threats? First, remember that Meta never contact users through private messages To notify the imminent closure of an account. Official communications take place through internal notifications or e-mails verified, and in these official communications it is never asked to insert their credentials through external links. If you receive a suspicious message, then, do not open external connections And above all, do not provide any data.
In case of suspected scam, the first action that we suggest to do is visit the official pages of the Facebook service center and the Instagram service center directly. From there you can consult specific advice to avoid running into such scams and also receiving assistance to report any attacks already suffered in Meta. If you are a victim of a phishing attack, it is equally important to inform the postal police, the body specialized in IT crimes in Italy, so as to contribute to contrasting the spread of these phenomena.
