Profile cloning, a stealthy cyber threat
Social media account profile cloning is a deceptive tactic where scammers create a fake profile that closely replicates your own. They meticulously copy your profile picture, name, and other publicly visible information like your hometown, interests, or workplace. This carefully crafted imitation is designed to fool your friends and family into thinking they are interacting with the real you. The scammer's goal is to exploit that trust – they might send messages asking for money under false pretenses, spread malicious links, or attempt to gather even more sensitive personal information from your unsuspecting connections.
On Facebook, the scammer begins by carefully examining your profile. They’ll download your profile, cover photos, and other details set to public visibility (like your hometown, workplace, or interests).
With this stolen information, the cybercriminals create a new Facebook profile that closely mirrors your own. They might make subtle adjustments to your username to make it less obvious (e.g., adding a number or a middle initial).
The scammer, now posing as you, sends friend requests to everyone on your friend’s list. Since they appear to be someone their friend knows and trusts, many unsuspecting people will accept these requests.
One of the primary dangers if your account is cloned is the potential for financial loss. The scammer, posing as you, might send desperate messages to your friends, claiming to be in an emergency situation. They could say they’re stranded overseas, their wallet was stolen, or they need urgent medical help. Exploiting the trust of your friends, they'll ask for money to be sent quickly.
Cloning your profile can also give scammers a foothold to gather more personal information. They might message your friends asking for birthdays, addresses, phone numbers, or even password hints for other online accounts. This data can be used for identity theft or further hacking into your friends' accounts.
Wider scams and reputation damage beyond financial scams, the cloned account can be used to spread misinformation, malware, or phishing links. If your friend clicks a harmful link sent from what they believe is your account, their security could be compromised. Additionally, scammers might use your cloned profile to damage your reputation by posting inappropriate or offensive content.
To detect cloned accounts, pay close attention to the “voice” of the person messaging you or posting from the supposed account. If something feels strange about the language they use, the topics they post about, or the links they share, be suspicious. These discrepancies from the 'real' person's typical online behavior can be a sign of a cloned account.
If you get a friend request from someone you are already friends with, treat it with utmost caution. It's likely a cloned account. Before accepting, contact your friend (preferably through a different means than Facebook) to confirm if they sent a new request.
If you discover your Facebook account has been cloned, take immediate action. Firstly, report the fake account to Facebook by navigating to the cloned profile, clicking the “...” icon, and following the instructions to report an impersonation. Next, make a public post on your timeline alerting your friends about the clone. Instruct them to ignore any new friend requests from you and disregard any suspicious messages, especially those requesting money or personal information. Consider changing your password for added security and reviewing your privacy settings to limit who can see your information and send friend requests.
Facebook profile cloning and highjacking are both forms of cybercrime, but they operate differently. Cloning focuses on deception. The scammer creates a fake profile that closely mimics your own, using your photo and publicly available information. Their goal is to trick your friends into believing they’re interacting with the real you and then exploit that trust for financial gain or to spread misinformation. On the other hand, account hijacking is a form of hacking that involves a direct breach of your security. A hacker seeks unauthorized access to your Facebook account by cracking your password or exploiting a vulnerability. Once inside your account, they can change your settings, post as you, and potentially steal sensitive information.
Account profile cloning is also a growing issue on other social media platforms like Telegram, where scammers create fake accounts using another person's name and image to deceive their contacts.
Today, my friend Giancarlo Muñoz Viterbo, cofounder and managing director at Glint.ph, alerted me on a concerning issue involving my identity being misused.
Someone has been contacting Giancarlo via Telegram, using an account with my name and photo. However, upon closer inspection, we discovered that the profile picture being used differs from the one I currently have on my profile. This alarming discovery led us to believe that this is the work of a scammer who has cloned my account to potentially deceive my friends and contacts.
I have asked Giancarlo to block this person immediately, and I urge all of you to remain vigilant. If you receive any suspicious messages from an account that seems to be mine but with any discrepancies, please do not engage. Instead, verify by contacting me through my known and trusted communication channels.
This incident reminds us of the importance of protecting our digital identities and the need for caution when dealing with unexpected communications, even if they appear to come from familiar faces.