Cybercrime Alert: The Facebook Business Profile Clone Scam and How to Protect Your Business

Businesses, both in New Zealand and internationally, are increasingly becoming targets of fraudsters who clone real Facebook business profiles. In many cases, these scammers can fool even the most vigilant users with their sophisticated techniques, causing significant harm to businesses and their customers. In this article, we’ll explore what this Facebook business profile clone scam is, how it works, and most importantly, how you can protect your business from these fraudsters.

The Facebook business profile clone scam involves creating a fake profile with the look and feel of a verified business. These scammers then start commenting on the real business’s posts, and gradually build a relationship with the business and its customers. Once they have gained the trust of the customers, they begin to share links to rogue websites, in some cases even asking for bank deposits or bank account numbers to make deposits into.

Unfortunately, business profile scams are not isolated incidents, as personal profiles are also cloned and used in the Facebook marketplace and other areas where scammers try to sell non-existent products. These fraudsters often facilitate payments for goods that will never eventuate, leaving the victim with an empty wallet and no product.

The scammers’ ultimate goal is to gain access to Facebook business manager accounts linked to business credit cards, which can be used for redirected ads to other business pages. Cloned profiles can be used to trick victims into handing over personal information, which can have severe consequences for both the business and its customers.

The first task of any Facebook business profile scammer is to create a convincing profile.  The profile picture, the header, and a simulation of some of the posts to resemble the actual business. The scammers behind any Facebook clone scam use various techniques to create a convincing clone profile.  It is our responsibility to be on the lookout and vigilant as scam artists are becoming all that more convincing.  Once the business profile has been created and set up, the scammer then starts commenting on the real business’s posts to establish credibility.  Often this can be in the midst of a competition or a higher level of activity on the Verified Business Page.

In addition, and in some cases, the scammer will not stop there.  They actually want access to the Business Manager Account. They will then deploy tactics to trick or convince the business owner or employees into handing over access to their Facebook business manager accounts.   They may present themselves as being from Facebook i.e a Facebook Representative and need to support you with a Facebook issue.  They will ask for access to your Facebook manager account.  Always remember there is an opportunity for them to divert ad spending money onto their chosen Facebook page and they want access to this advertising environment.  They can run ads to redirect traffic to their own business pages or other businesses’ pages, using the business’s credit card (behind the ad account in the usurped business manager account ) to pay for these ads.  It is also likely that they also extract personal information from the business’s customers and employees, putting them at risk of identity theft and other forms of fraud.

Protecting Your Business. For many businesses, social can be a very strong provider of leads and/or product sales.  The “Clone Facebook business profile scam” can be devastating for businesses, so it’s essential to take steps to protect yourself from fraudsters.

Here are some tips to help you avoid falling victim to this scam:

• Stay Vigilant. A simple rule is – to be wary about what you see online.  Stay vigilant.  Don’t trust everything you see.   Be wary of any unsolicited messages or requests and in particular when they are asking you to click / login and enter your personal details. My mum always said, “if something seems too good to be true, it probably is”.
• Pause and Reflect. Messages or phone calls out of the blue.  Be careful if Facebook or another company suddenly calls you with an offer of “help”  Pause and reflect before responding or sharing any information. 1.  Verify the person’s identity and 2. check their profile before adding them to any business manager accounts or sharing any personal information.
• Double Check Profiles. We are as cautious as can be before adding anyone to a Business Manager Account. Perhaps ask them for their profile URL so you can see what their profile looks like.  Double-check profiles to ensure that everything looks bona fide and genuine. Look for signs of suspicious behaviour.  A new Facebook Account, a lack of recent posts or activity, a blank profile pic or graphic profile pic, country of account, and if in doubt,  don’t hesitate to report any suspicious profiles to Facebook for their review.
• Educate Your Employees. Education and don’t be afraid to ask should be a standard.  Discussions with your team/employees about the Facebook business profile clone scam and other forms of cyber type attacks.  Discuss signs of suspicious behaviour, and encourage them to report any suspicious activity immediately. Again – Pause and Reflect and ASK if you are uncertain.
• Use Two-Factor Authentication. Increase security across these profiles.  Enable Two-factor authentication (2FA).  This level of security is an additional layer of security that can help protect your Facebook account from unauthorized access.  Why?  By enabling this layer, you will need to enter a code sent to your phone or email address every time you log in to your account from an unfamiliar device or location.
• Use Strong Passwords. Across the internet from email to banking – strong passwords are important.  Facebook is no different.   Using strong passwords and unique passwords is essential for protecting your Facebook account and business manager account. Why unique passwords?  The same password used on a multitude of online accounts can increase the risk of a data breach.
• Regularly Monitor Your Accounts. Also monitor your Facebook account and business manager account for suspicious activity.  These are some of the checks you could do.  1.  Review log-in sessions and ensure that these are all yours.  2.  Monitor any unexpected ads or changes to your account settings. 3.  If you notice any unauthorized activity, report it to Facebook immediately and take steps to secure your accounts.

Facebook is an integral part of a digital marketing strategy.  This type of scam is a serious threat not only to your business but to businesses worldwide. Fraudsters and scammers are becoming more and more ingenious.  Their intention is clear, to pull the wool over your eyes and trick you into handing over personal information or money.

To protect your business (or personal Facebook profile)  from this type of scam, it is important to remain vigilant and take appropriate precautions.  The most important message in this blog is really one that I highlight again.  Pause and Reflect.

At Net Branding, we understand the importance of Facebook security and account recovery. We have assisted many clients with these issues and are equipped to quickly identify if account recovery is a possibility. We offer expert advice and support to facilitate the best possible outcome for our clients and their businesses.

Take a look at one of our recent “google reviews”.

Jo shared:- “I could not be more thrilled with the service from Netbranding. I had a very curly Facebook issue that other FB “experts” had shied away from. Bradley dealt with it calmly and efficiently, on one occasion responding to a couple of time-sensitive immediately and averting further issues. The team was transparent about timelines and communicated to me when we needed to go beyond the initial estimate. Thanks so much for the wonderful work Netbranding. Highly recommend.”

If you’re concerned about the security of your Facebook account, we encourage you to act quickly.  We can advise and help assess your level of risk and provide guidance on how to protect yourself from this type of scam.