There are many cases of people got scammed by fake Facebook profiles. In this post, we will show you how to spot a fake Facebook profile so that you won’t be the next victim.
Most of the fake Facebook profiles are created by scammers for the following purposes:
- To scam people for money
- To spread spam or viruses
- To promote a product or service
- To hacked into someone’s account
Even on dating sites and apps, there are a lot of scammers with fake profiles. So if you are looking for love online, there are some things you need to be aware of. In this article, we will show you how to spot a fake Facebook profile.
1. Check the Profile Picture
The first thing you need to do is to check the profile picture of the person. If it looks like a stock photo or too good to be true, then it probably is. You can do a reverse image search on Google to find out where the image came from.
Aside from checking the profile picture, you should also check the dates on the photos. If the person’s photos are all dated from 10 years ago, then it is possible that the profile is fake. Or even if the photos are dated just recently, and it feels like a new account, then that could also be a sign that the profile is fake.
The next thing you need to do
2. Check the Timeline
If you see that the person has very few posts on their timeline, it could be a fake account. Or if all their posts are from the same time period, that could also be a sign that the profile is fake.
This could be because the person who created the fake profile didn’t have enough time to create a more believable account. Or it could be because they only created the account to scam someone. Either way, it’s best to be cautious.
3. Check the Friends List
Another way to spot a fake Facebook profile is to check the person’s friends list. If they have very few friends, or if all their friends are from the same country, that could be a sign that the profile is fake.
Depending on the motive of the scammer or the one with a fake Facebook profile, it could be that his/her friends are just random people and doesn’t have any mutual friends with you. So that is something you need to be aware of.
4. Check for Grammatical Errors
If you see a lot of grammatical errors in the person’s posts, that could be a sign that the profile is fake. This is because many scammers are from other countries and don’t have a good grasp of the English language.
Although this isn’t the case most of the time, but it’s important to be wary to whom you are talking to online. Especially if their motive is dating or money-related.
5. Check for Suspicious Links
If you see a lot of suspicious links in the person’s posts, that could be a sign that the profile is fake. These links could lead to websites that are full of viruses or spam.
So if you see a lot of these links, it’s best to stay away from that person. You can also report them to Facebook so they can take action against that account. It could also be that they would send these links to you through private messages. So if you see any links in a private message, it’s best not to click on them.
6. Check the Person’s Activity
Another way to spot a fake Facebook profile is to check the person’s activity. If they are constantly liking and commenting on posts, that could be a sign that the profile is fake.
This is because many scammers use bots to like and comment on posts. They do this in the hopes that people will see their activity and be curious about them. So if you see someone with this kind of activity, it’s best to stay away from them.
You can check whom they’ve interacted with if it’s possible and try to look for any red flags. If most of their recent interactions are with people you don’t know, then that could be a sign that something is not right.
7. Check for Fake Reviews
If you see a lot of fake reviews on the person’s profile, that could be a sign that the profile is fake. These fake reviews are usually from websites that the person is promoting.
So if you see a lot of these reviews, it’s best to stay away from that person. You can also report them to Facebook so they can take action against that account. One tip is search for the scammer’s name and check all posts that has been made by him/her. Not just on their profile, but on other website platforms as well.
Sometimes, you can even see whether some people may have encountered with them and posted them as a scammer. Do you research well and be resourceful!
8. Check for Repeated Posts
Though repeated posts can be annoying, it could be a sign that the profile is fake. This is because many scammers use bots to post repetitive content.
For example, they may post the same thing over and over again in the hopes that people will see it and be curious about them. Or if they’re trying to promote fake news, they would do the same thing. Either it’s political or non-political related. So if you see someone with this kind of activity, it’s best to stay away from them. You can also report them to Facebook so they can take action against that account.
Hire A Private Investigator
Before getting to know someone that’s on the internet, make sure to do a full background check on that person. You can hire a private investigator to do a thorough check or you could do it yourself by googling that person’s name and looking for any red flags.
Especially if the scammer is trying to get money from you, it’s important to be cautious. There have been many cases of scammers tricking people into giving them money and then disappearing. So if you’re ever in doubt, it’s always best to be on the side of caution.
At Spousebusters, we have a team of skilled private investigators that can do a full background check for you. We will make sure that the person you’re talking to is who they say they are and we’ll also look for any red flags. Contact us today to get started.
