Have you ever gotten a friend request from someone on Facebook but had absolutely no idea who they were? It’s totally possible that that person is legitimately looking to befriend you.
It’s also possible that that person actually doesn’t exist, and you’ve received a request from a fake profile. Fake profiles exist on Facebook for scammers and spammers. They even attempt to spread viruses.
It’s a good idea not to accept a friend request of anyone you don’t know, but you also don’t want to close yourself off to meeting legitimate new people. Here are some tips that will help you determine if that mystery request is really coming from a fake.
She’s a Beautiful Model
It doesn’t mean that there’s no chance a beautiful model could be interested in you, but these profiles are often fake. The majority of fake Facebook profiles are women, and they usually use stock modeling photos. If her profile photos scream “photo shoot,” you might want to investigate a little further.
You Have No Mutual Friends
Fake profiles target people randomly, so you probably won’t have any mutual friends in common with them. However, in real life, most of the people that will friend you on Facebook are a friend or acquaintance of someone else who’s already in your circle. If you have a few friends in common, they’re more likely to be a real person.
They Have Tons of Friends
Fake profiles try to get as many friends as possible. While the average Facebook user has approximately 130 friends, fake users will have many hundreds more. It’s a red flag if the person who has requested you as a friend already has hundreds or thousands more, especially if you don’t know any of them.
They’re a Celebrity
Sorry, but a celebrity probably isn’t going to take the time to friend you, either. There are thousands of fake celebrity profiles on Facebook, so be cautious. Try to find verification, for example looking for a link to the same profile via the celebrity’s official, verified Twitter.
They Don’t Update or Comment
Most fake profiles don’t put a lot of effort into maintaining their profiles. Fake friends won’t update their statuses or comment on others’. They’re lacking real connections to people through Facebook that most real people have.
Their Photos are Suspicious
It’s easy for fake friends to add a lot of photos and try to come off as a real person. However, the photos are usually stolen. Do they lack pictures with friends and family? Do they tag large numbers of people in single photos that are often of objects? Fake people usually won’t be legitimately tagged in any photos on their friends’ profiles, either.
Other Indicators
The security firm Barracuda Networks recently compiled a report on their findings about fake Facebook profiles. There are some other signs that are more common on fake profiles. These include that most fake profiles claim to be interested in men and women rather than just one or the other, most claim to have attended college, and most don’t list their interests.
Stella Brown is hooked on Facebook and Twitter. As an SEO Specialist, she helps individuals and businesses create a great online presence with help from her favorite grammar checker.
0 comments:
Post a Comment