Just by virtue of owning a Facebook profile, we are giving people a peek into our lives – a window, so to speak. The size of that window mostly depends on how much we post on Facebook.
However, Facebook itself is structured in such a way that what our friends post can also influence the size of that window. You could be a stickler for privacy, but then your friend may not be. Any scammer could use what he learns about your friend to get to you and to trick you into believing his lies. In fact, even if you don’t even have a Facebook account, scammers could still use the social networking site to harm you.
Take a situation that’s happening today for example. Police have been getting several reports of scammers targeting senior citizens by using Facebook. These scammers would gather information from the Facebook page of the grandchild and use what he learns in order to make a plausible, believable appeal to the target.
The scammer would call the grandparent and ask for money, often conjuring tales of a crisis in order to get sympathy. To add a bit of depth to the story, the scammer would use the names of other family members, even citing details about family outings, parties, or what not.
For example, in
Authorities have taken to calling the scheme “The Grandma Scam”. It’s not a new scam per se. Con artists have been doing it for years – but with Facebook in the picture, the scammers have just added another tool to their box, a powerful one at that. Just imagine if the scammers use the name of someone who has really gone to
The police have already sent letters to various
It’s usually easy to expose an impostor. A few well-placed questions can have the scammer’s plan crumbling within minutes. Also, a simple call to the grandchild’s family can usually confirm whether or not something was up. However, these scammers are wily and attack a person’s vulnerability. They exploit the grandparents’ love for their grandchildren, causing the couple to be overcome with worry and to think that the money is immaterial – a cruel strategy, especially if one considers the age group being targeted.
Recommended Resources
The Choice of Tech Experts Worldwide. Try 90 days free of Bitdefender and experience the highest level of digital safety.
Surf the web truly incognito. Try Bitdefender Premium VPN, the ultra-fast VPN that keeps your online identity and activities safe from hackers, ISPs and snoops.
System Mechanic 14 – Make your computer run like new. Winner of 200+ Editor’s Choice awards!