Don't Fall for the Facebook Fake Copyright Scam

Social media scams are on the rise. A common one aims to steal your Facebook login credentials by sending fake copyright violation notices. This article will explain how the scam works and provide tips to avoid becoming a victim.

The Anatomy of the Scam

You may receive an email claiming your Facebook account has been disabled for violating copyright rules. It will say something like:

“Your Facebook account has been disabled for violating the Facebook Terms. If you believe this decision is incorrect, you may file an appeal at this link.”

The email looks official. The link goes to a page that looks like Facebook’s copyright infringement notice. You are asked to enter your name and username. Then a page pops up asking for your password, claiming it’s “for your security.”

Warning Signs to Spot the Scam

While this scam can look legitimate, there are red flags:

• Suspicious sender’s email: The name may say Facebook, but the address is completely unrelated. Facebook would only send emails from an @facebook.com domain.

• Typos and grammatical errors: Scammers often have small typos to trick spam filters. Look for odd capitalization or character substitutions.

• Fake Facebook page: The link goes to a Facebook Note made by the scammers, not an official Facebook page. Check the URL carefully.

• Password request: Facebook would never ask for your password via an email link. This is the biggest red flag to not proceed!

How to Avoid Becoming a Victim

Here are tips to keep your Facebook account safe from phishing scams:

• Don’t panic: Take your time reviewing any notifications. Scammers want you to act fast without thinking.

• Check the sender’s address: Verify it’s from an official Facebook domain before clicking links.

• Look for typos/errors: Legitimate emails shouldn’t have obvious mistakes.

• Navigate to Facebook directly: Log in via the app or website URL. Don’t use links in emails.

• Never enter your password: Facebook would not request your password via an email link.

• Use strong unique passwords: Make them long, complex, and different for every account.

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to your Facebook account.

• Contact Facebook if compromised: If you lost access, report it to Facebook right away to recover your account.

Examples of Actual Scam Emails

It helps to see examples of real scam emails that were sent to users:

Subject: Your Facebook account has been dİsabled

Dear Facebook User,

Your Facebook account has been dİsabled for vİolatİng the Facebook Terms. If you belİeve thİs decİsİon İs İncorrect, you may fİle an appeal at thİs lİnk.

• [Fake Facebook Note Link]

Thanks,
The Facebook Team

Things to note:

• Sender address is random, not from Facebook
• Strange capital İ instead of lowercase L
• Generic greeting, not your name
• Suspicious link to fake Facebook note page

Another example:

From: Facebook Security [email protected]

Hello [your name],

Your Facebook account has been temporarily locked due to multiple infringements of Facebook copyright policies.

To unlock your account and regain access, please confirm your account information at the link below:

[Bitly link redirecting to fake Facebook page]

Thank you,

Facebook Security Team

Red flags:

• Sender address is @facebook.com, but also suspicious
• Link shortened by Bitly, redirects to fake page
• Urgent tone to panic you into action

How Facebook Combats These Scams

Facebook employs dedicated security teams and advanced AI to detect and shut down phishing scams. A few of their countermeasures:

• Scam web pages and links get blacklisted and blocked.
• Fake accounts spreading scams get deleted.
• Sophisticated spam filters catch most phishing emails.
• Account hacking alerts notify users of unauthorized logins.

Still, scammers work hard to bypass Facebook’s security. Staying vigilant is important.

In Summary

• Don’t panic if you get an urgent notice about your Facebook account.
• Check for red flags like odd emails, typos, strange links.
• Never enter your password through an email link.
• Report scams to Facebook to improve their detection.
• Use strong unique passwords and 2FA.
• If hacked, contact Facebook support immediately.

Spread awareness about this scam to help others avoid becoming victims. The more we call out these tactics, the less they will succeed.

Make sure to check out our other scam guides.