Cloning Facebook to siphon off money!

Sunny Dua
Facebook users in Jammu and Kashmir are facing embarrassment as accounts of several people have been cloned to siphon off money. Many others, trusting the requests of their friends as genuine have even transferred money into the accounts of hackers and on checking it at a later stage came to know that they have been duped off their hard-earned money.
Facebook cloning scam has hit the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir in a big way wherein social media accounts of several influential and well to do persons are regularly being hacked only to demand money from their known fellows.
Though there are several provisions to avoid such cloning of accounts or hacking but ignorance on the part of social media users is leading to such chaos after which it not only becomes embarrassing for the Facebook users but it even becomes tough for them to get their hacked accounts retrieved or blocked. Shockingly, by the time users of social media especially Facebook come to know about hacking or cloning of their accounts and they initiate colossal exercise to report the matter, enough damage stands done and their money lost.
Facebook cloning is definitely a scam and users of social media must stay alert to this and also learn usage of these sites and its security systems so that they not only save their money but also avoid any untoward incident involving them or their family members. Those into cloning never ever talk to the person from whom they ask for money but create such a panic on messengers that they force the person to transfer money electronically on SOS basis and then vanish like they never existed. This is a real serious issue which needs to be addressed to save money and lives.
In many cases, the scammers replicate social media accounts and then pretend to be ‘you’ after which they start sending messages. Some applications like Photoshop can also be used to morph photographs and then exploit people. Children irrespective of their gender must be aware of the fact that anything that’s posted on social sites stays there forever on the main servers even if the same content is deleted from the devices. So, before posting anything one must think for multiple times that anyone can steal the data to use it for unscrupulous purpose.
THE SCAM: Those into Facebook cloning don’t need any extraordinary technical skills to clone accounts but they simply download or copy pictures of an authorized user, create a new account using same name and credentials and then start sending friend’s requests to his/her friends and family members. Those alert, don’t accept the request but many who don’t remember list of their friends accepts second requests and fall in trap. In some cases, elders or novice feel elated to get requests from known persons and immediately respond exposing themselves to risks.
Then starts the second step wherein hackers or those into cloning use social engineering skills to convince the persons about their authenticity and start asking for financial help. Since most of the lists of friends stay public for all the time, scammers send a request to any or all of the user’s friends knowingly that majority will respond. The actual user’s account is not touched but through a new account message are sent. This way user’s known people fall in trap and they are exposed to risks by the scammers.
The modus operandi involves using many ploys to lure the victim or create panic amongst them. They begin to ask for money for emergency purposes or pretend to be stranded at a strange place without money. Hospital bills, air fare or any other emergency reasons like accidents are put forth for transferring of funds. Since they ask for small amounts, the victims believe them and transfer money knowingly that this much of money won’t make any difference to them. They only want relief for the person at the other end asking for money. In some cases, the victims are made to reveal sensitive information that may land them in trouble.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES: Facebook has given multiple options to all account holders which most of the users don’t read or are not aware of. First and foremost, preventive measure is to lock the account after which hackers, scammers or those into cloning are unable to download or even access photos and information of the account holder. This is the best way to keep scammers away from your account and especially from novice or those elders who care least about such accessible data that can be used against them easily.
Second most important aspect it to stay alert to requests. One must not rush through the requests and accept them instantly but show utmost patience, check the profile of sender of request, check their friend’s list to know whether this particular person is already friend with you or this is the second request that has been forwarded. The validity of the account must be checked twice before responding. If you receive a request from someone who is already in friend’s list, then be doubly suspicious and cross check the sender’s profile.
HOW TO CHECK CLONING: Before one checks cloning, he or she now a days get information through their friends that requests seeking money have come from your messengers. Information about cloning also reaches many through telephones as most of the friends also show their desire to know in person as to which trouble their friend has landed up in. This is the reason why several account holders keep posting on their walls and I quote, “My account has been hacked/cloned. Please don’t respond to any request”. One can also search his or her name and get to know whether the account has been mirrored or not.
In many cases when one starts texting, the smart people can come to know that this is not the way one communicates. However, if the scammers have ever spent time studying how you communicate then they can mimic your writings and messages only to convince that these texts are coming from genuine owner of the account. Search engines must be checked with multiple names with little deviations in spellings as many don’t care about names but accept friend’s requests by just looking at the pictures alone.
PROTECTING ACCOUNT CLONING: Those, on social media must learn that anything that they share on Facebook including photos, private information, friend’s names, videos or voice messages always remain accessible to people outside their friends’ list unless it is protected. This data can easily be downloaded for cloning and a new account created by anyone. Hence, people must check their Facebook’s privacy settings and set it to desired levels so that their private information can’t be stolen.
It is always advised to keep friends list to private so that scammers don’t have access to them as well. Another best thing is to share your posts to chosen ones only. There are provisions that you can share your posts with public, friends or even keep it private. Those who know this can definitely keep their accounts safe. Despite that account cloning remains a grave threat and simultaneously the onus of cloning primarily lies account owner as many of them don’t protect their accounts.
FROM FACEBOOK’S SIDE: Facebook doesn’t encourage or allow impersonation. Its policy says that if one finds his or her account impersonated the same must be reported to the Facebook. Whether you have an account or not but if your name and picture is spotted on the Facebook site, you must immediately report the matter. The account that one sees on social site is even a Facebook profile or a Page, the same must be reported. Still, the best way is to use all the tools given by the Facebook and lock profile in a way that only the friends can have access to data.