What is Fake Facebook Profile and Why?
Facebook is one of the best social networks of over a billion people.
If you looked in friend circle, there could be number real friends and
virtual too, but we always ignore them. I would rather suggest you to
spot them and report as a fake account. They are there on your profile
to steal important data of you, your friends and family information.
This is a serious business for them and makes money out of it leaving
you unsafe and helpless. Unfortunately Facebook has not yet got control
over fake account problem.
What fake profiles can do?
In year 2012, number of fake accounts on Facebook had risen to 5% of
all accounts which is almost 76 million fake accounts. Lady Gaga had
lost 65,505 fans and Facebook’s own Page lost 124,919 fake likes.
Fake account creators need your contact information such as location,
contact number, images, and your friend list to get more such
information from another account. Your account information could be used
to sell to marketing companies or it can be used to spread
malware/spyware which could take important info from your machine
without your knowledge. They can also spread junk images or videos that
can automatically post unwanted or bad things on your friend’s wall.
Remember, they attract you with romantic interest, sole purpose in friending or some other rewards.
How to detect Fake Profiles?
I have some key points which may help you to instant detect the fake Facebook profile.
1. Don’t talk to Strangers:
Think twice before accepting unknown friend request, check if they
are friend to any of your friend. Don’t hesitate to enquire about this
with your real friends. Ask them questions: What makes you want to be
your friend? How did they find out about you? Who do you know in common?
By clicking on their name, you can see if you have any mutual friends.
If you do, contact your friend. If not—that’s a big red flag.
2. Profile Name
Profile names will give you a chance to identify the fake account
holder. For example a person wants to be a friend has profile name of
big celebrity or politician. No such big personality send a friend
request to common people.
3. Fake Gender
It has been observed that 95% of fake accounts keep Female gender. As
female can be attractive to male and female-female also gets close
friend in lesser time. Ask multiple questions suggested in first point
to verify the account holder.
4. Profile Photos and Gallery
Check their profile photo and image gallery. There should be some
real photos. I believe 100% of real Facebook account holder keep at
least few real images on the account. Get back and be safe if no real
image found. The best option to verify image is Google Images. Any
image that you want to verify, copy it on your desktop. Open Google
Images and drag the image from desktop to Google Images search. And
Google Images will return you an address or information about that
image.
Click and drag their profile picture to your desktop.
Launch Google Chrome or Firefox, and navigate to
Google Images
Drag and drop the profile pic into the search field: it will expand, as shown
5.Search by Name
Search by name in Google Search, and check if it returns any result.
If multiple results are showing in Google then search with some extra
information such as location or profession etc.
6. Read Profile Carefully:
Read each and every little detail carefully. For example a person
with age 24 stating that he is CEO of a big company is difficult one to
understand. Ask them for some proof.
7. Check Birth Date
Check birth date, Birth dates like 1/1/XX…..or……31/12/XX are common
between fake accounts as it is quite unique and easy to type in.
8. Status Updates, Comment and Likes
Fake accounts likely to have less activities such as no participation
in any event, no status update, no comment or likes. May be you should
check their Wall and if someone have replied as “Do I know you” or “Why
are you not replying to …”.
9. Don’t Accept Strange Friend Request
Don’t accept friend request of someone to whom you have no connection
at all like If the person is not amongst your friend or friend of
friend or there is no similarity such as dancing, singing, sports
between both of you then there is no point accepting request.
10. Unfriend Fake User
If you’re suspicious, unsure, or uncomfortable with having them as
part of your Facebook friends, pull the plug. It’s not like they’re your
real friends or family, and they could cause you a lot of future
problems.
Warn other friends of yours on Facebook if you know they have also
friended the fake account; one of the tactics of an impostor is to
befriend others in your circle of friends to try and make the friendship
seem more “real”. Or maybe you should report them as fake.
