As scammers become increasingly bold and creative in their methods to con money from consumers, Iowa Attorney General, Tom Miller, warns Facebook is becoming a popular place for these criminals to operate. Miller highlights some of their most common methods. Many Facebook users have, at least once, received a friend request from someone posing as a friend or family member. Scammers use this connection to request money, ask for personal information or send links to malicious software. Pages which request a “like” or a share to win but asks for money upfront can be questionable. Legitimate sweepstakes will never ask for anything other than your name, address or telephone number. Another scheme claims your account will be disabled unless you verify your account by logging in. This is a phishing attempt which will grant access for the scammer to your account. When it comes to scams, be wary of anyone who asks you for money, even if it seems legitimate. Never share personal information over the phone or online and a vast number of scams can be avoided.
