You’re scrolling through Facebook and you see a message that claims to be from a friend.

The message goes something like this: “I can’t believe he’s gone. I’m going to miss him so much.” Below it will be a grainy screenshot of something that looks like a video or a photo that appears to be an accident scene. Both are designed to make it look like someone you know has passed away suddenly.

Understandably, you’d be curious – and concerned – that someone you know was in an accident. In reality, the Facebook message is just another attempt to separate you from your personal information.

Here’s how CityNet.net describes it:

“The harsh reality sets in when you click the link, only to be redirected to a fake web page prompting you to log in to Facebook,” the site explains. “Once you enter your login information, scammers swiftly redirect you to an unrelated page, leaving you in the dark about any news article or video. The harsh truth is that your Facebook credentials have just been stolen through a sophisticated phishing attack.”

What makes the scam worse is it utilizes compromised Facebook accounts to disseminate the phishing links, making it appear that is comes from a trusted source or loved one. Then, once your page is compromised after clicking on the link, your name is then used to spread the same phony message.

Having access to this information can give scammers all sorts of information that could be used to steal your identity.

How to protect yourself from ‘I can’t believe he’s gone’ scam

CityNet recommends people take several steps to prevent themselves from falling victim to a social media scam:

Don’t click on links from suspicious posts

Even if you supposedly know the person who sent the post, don’t click on something that looks suspicious. Be especially cautious if the links indicate someone has died. Also, be very careful of any prompt that directs you to enter your Facebook credentials to follow a link.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

Mutli-Factor Authentication, or MFA, requires extra verification steps before allowing access to an account. This can make it significantly more challenging for scammers to compromise your account even if they have obtained your login credentials.

Verify, verify, verify

Let’s say you see the post that appears to be from a friend but, in reality, their account has been compromised. It’s better to contact that person directly through phone or text to verify if it’s legitimate. Make sure you verify before you click on any links.

Not on Facebook? Don’t assume you’re safe

These types of phishing attacks aren’t limited to Facebook. Scammers use similar methods on other social media platforms as well as through text or email. Be vigilant and cautious when you encounter unexpected posts or messages on any online platforms.

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