Another Facebook User Fake Verification Message
With Facebook having over 3 billion active monthly users, criminals using Facebook for phishing is not unexpected. The majority of phishing attempts are obviously fake, but with AI, those phishing attempts look more legit. Today’s post will show you what to look out for using another phishing verification message a user received. Facebook FB
FB Violated Community Standards Message
The message claims to be from the FBSBX web address and, being sent by the Meta Policy Support Team, says the user may have Violated Meta Community Standards.
The message then claims that the page may be subject to
- Restrictions and possibly permanent deactivation.
- If you believe this is a mistake, please submit an appeal through the Meta Help Center.
The message then has a giant button that asks you to Start The Verification
What Details In The Message Show This Is Phishing
As noted with AI, these messages are looking more convincing, but there are still signs you can use to show you when a message is phishing
- Look for language issues – At the top of this message, it says “Important message from Meta Policy Support Team”. Proper English would be “Important message from the Meta Policy Support Team”. The sentence is missing the word the.
- Look for differences in the fonts used – A proper message should use the same font throughout the message. In the message shown, “Dear Page Administrator” is a different font and a different color.
- Verify who the sender is – In the case of this message, it says it’s from the Meta Policy Support Team.
- The Meta Policy Support Team, also known as Meta Support Pro, assists government, political, and nonprofit partners with operational, technical, and policy-related issues on Meta platforms. So I don’t think this FB department would be responsible for any violations on someone’s FB Page.
- Again, look for language issues – the middle of the message says “please submit an appeal”, however, at the bottom of the message you have a GIANT “Start the Verification”. So am I appealing something or verifying something?
According To Meta To Avoid Scams and Phishing
Meta itself lists on its support page on Avoiding Scams and Phishing that they will only send messages using a specific list of domains.
So you must pay attention to who is sending the message. That is the easiest way to know if it’s phishing.
Final Thoughts
If you get one of these messages, DON’T FALL FOR IT. If it’s on the internet, it doesn’t automatically make it legit. Pay attention before clicking on links or responding to messages.
Sources:
- DemandSage – Facebook Users Statistics
- Public Sector Marketing Pros – Meta Support Pro
- Facebook – Avoid Scams and Phishing Attempts
