Sunday, November 16, 2014

Getting Hacked on Facebook


Friday night it became apparent that someone was impersonating me on Facebook.

Almost thirty of my friends fell for the scam. One engaged the impostor.

Engager: How is you husband?
Impostor: Fine.

HMM. My husband passed away from dementia at the end of June. My friend knew there was a problem! 



Dana received these messages from the impostor me on Facebook and, the English teacher that I am, I edited this uneducated scammer:
I’m so happy now because many good things are happening to me and am thanking God for that. It’s an empowerment program to help people especially the senior citizen, adult, youth. I have received mine from them already. The FedEx delivery service came to my doorstep and delivered cash of $300,000 to me in person.
 
 
About the 2014 empowerment program in conjunction with Facebook Yearly Bonus—the program is basically to help people to maintain a good standard of living in the entire community and there are prizes to me won. 
All right. I wonder if you have heard about the good news yet.

Dana: Did you open a new Facebook account?

Impostor: No, I did some re-setting so I have to re-add some of my friends. I hope everything is going well with you.

Dana told me As soon as the money was mentioned my suspcions were confirmed and she she unfriended immediately before he/she could steal her identiy. 

Then Dana messaged the real me on Facebook.

Dana: Carol, are you talking to me on a different Facebook page? I think you’ve been hacked. I unfriended your new account until I know it’s you.

The real me: I did not make a new Facebook account.

Dana: Sorry that happened to you! I could smell baloney! I knew it was out of character for you. 

The real me: This could become a blog post.

Dana: Haha! Yes it could. Have you recently accepted any new friend requests?

The real me: No, but I as at an unsecured WiFi Panera Bread [south of Plant City in perhaps the unincorporated Beaslville area] with my small notebook computer open and my iPhone on. Someone was sitting not far from me staring at me. I asked him if he knew me and he said no. The help section of Facebook is confusing to make a report.

Dana: That was him!! I’m sure! Sorry it’s confusing. Keep trying. Tell that story.

The real me: I will. The next Plant City Lady post. Did you LIKE that plantcityladyandfriendsblogspot so it will come to your computer?

Dana: I’m not sure. I may only read it when you share your blogs on your FB page.

The real me: I probably should share on FB. I don’t share all my blog posts on FB.


Then Dana gave me permission to use her name. Thanks, Dana.

Now I noticed an unincorporated place on the imposter's FB--Bealsville. Good information for the Plant City Police. That place is now gone on the impostor's page. 

I talked with a friend's computer-savvy husband last night and he explained to me the dangers of WiFi. Technology is being used to take advantage of us!  

This morning I talked with my neighbor whose FB page was hacked several years ago. You just change your password, she explained and one of her friends called Apple and took care of it while she was on vacation. I learned from her to not take my devices open to a WiFi establishment.

I finally had time to do change my password last night. It wasn't so easy on Facebook HELP, and I didn't call Apple.  I used this site to do it.



As of this morning, 13 of my friends are on the impostor's friend list. He has no other friends as others have unfriended him. 

Here is how you unfriend someone as I wrote on Facebook:


To delete this hacker impostor of me, go to your Timeline Wall by your picture at the top right next to the word Home. Click on your name. Then click on Friends. A list will come up. Scroll down until you see the false me. Check to see if it just has two pictures. I have a lot of photos on the real one. Then for this false one with pictures that just were added click on the tab that has the check Friends rectangular button. At the bottom of it find Unfriend.


Someone taking advantage of a senior! I had that as I reported HERE. That post has had over 400 views (more than the 300 or so views when my husband died).  I did get my money back. I have dealt with an Internet bully also, and that bully turned around.

Hey, seniors! 
Hey anyone!


I can't punch my impostor in the face, but I can report him/her to the police in Plant City! I can encourage that they reform before they are arrested. 

10 comments:

  1. So sorry to hear about this. I was one who fell for it. If it's any consolation, since this is the 2nd time I've fallen for it, I now search my friends list every time someone friend requests me before accepting. When that one came through, I was on my phone and recognized your name from the blogosphere. I forgot we were already friends and just hit "accept." Both times I fell for it, the imposter sent a "Hi" message and I respond Hi back and hear nothing else. I didn't get the scam but I guess I'm just slow in responding and they're always intercepted by the time I reply!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephanie, we all learned with this, for which I am grateful! Thanks for posting.

      Hugs,
      Carol

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  2. Sorry this did happen to you, Carol, but good reminder of using Wifi in public. I used it recently when I was traveling, but changed my AOL password when I got back and now I'm off to change my Facebook password. It is sad that you have to deal with the clean up of the mess the hacker made!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad that this gave you the impetus to do that, Betty.

      Hugs,
      Carol

      Delete
  3. A real FB friend gave me this link:

    https://www.facebook.com/help/174210519303259

    Use options to make the report.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Facebook still hasn't gotten this off. I did file a police report late afternoon, however.

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  5. Hi Carol! This is horrible that it happened to such a sweet person. I have all the evidence I saved the emails and the instant message conversation I had with them. If your police need it let me know. I downloaded it and actually wrote a post about it myself. Great minds think alot and I put the conversation on that. It will be up on Friday. I reported to the police, FBI and Facebook but FB never answered me back. I was very upset with myself for being so naive! They just kept saying Rena you know me I wouldn't lie to you. I had no idea this could even happen! I won't be taking my stuff out of the house anymore or not getting on WIFI anymore. Great information!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Rena! You were one of the very first people to alert me to this impostor. Thanks so much. Facebook needs to have ways we can contact them when this happens. When I taught full-time I had a student make a defamatory MySpace as if they were me. When I contacted MySpace, right away they took it down.

      Delete
  6. Went to Apple and the way to report to Facebook is to go on the Impostor's page and report it.

    ReplyDelete