What is Fake Facebook Profile and Why?
Facebook is one of the best social networks of over a billion people. If you looked in friend circle, there could be number real friends and virtual too, but we always ignore them. I would rather suggest you to spot them and report as a fake account. They are there on your profile to steal important data of you, your friends and family information. This is a serious business for them and makes money out of it leaving you unsafe and helpless. Unfortunately Facebook has not yet got control over fake account problem.
What fake profiles can do?
In year 2012, number of fake accounts on Facebook had risen to 5% of all accounts which is almost 76 million fake accounts. Lady Gaga had lost 65,505 fans and Facebook’s own Page lost 124,919 fake likes.
Mark Zuckerberg thumbs down Facebook
Fake account creators need your contact information such as location, contact number, images, and your friend list to get more such information from another account. Your account information could be used to sell to marketing companies or it can be used to spread malware/spyware which could take important info from your machine without your knowledge. They can also spread junk images or videos that can automatically post unwanted or bad things on your friend’s wall.
Remember, they attract you with romantic interest, sole purpose in friending or some other rewards.
How to detect Fake Profiles?
I have some key points which may help you to instant detect the fake Facebook profile.
1. Don’t talk to Strangers:
Think twice before accepting unknown friend request, check if they are friend to any of your friend. Don’t hesitate to enquire about this with your real friends. Ask them questions: What makes you want to be your friend? How did they find out about you? Who do you know in common? By clicking on their name, you can see if you have any mutual friends. If you do, contact your friend. If not—that’s a big red flag.
2. Profile Name
Profile names will give you a chance to identify the fake account holder. For example a person wants to be a friend has profile name of big celebrity or politician. No such big personality send a friend request to common people.
3. Fake Gender
It has been observed that 95% of fake accounts keep Female gender. As female can be attractive to male and female-female also gets close friend in lesser time. Ask multiple questions suggested in first point to verify the account holder.
4. Profile Photos and Gallery
Check their profile photo and image gallery. There should be some real photos. I believe 100% of real Facebook account holder keep at least few real images on the account. Get back and be safe if no real image found. The best option to verify image is Google Images. Any image that you want to verify, copy it on your desktop. Open Google Images and drag the image from desktop to Google Images search. And Google Images will return you an address or information about that image.
Click and drag their profile picture to your desktop.
Launch Google Chrome or Firefox, and navigate to Google Images
Drag and drop the profile pic into the search field: it will expand, as shown
Google Image Search Drop
Google Image Search
5.Search by Name
Search by name in Google Search, and check if it returns any result. If multiple results are showing in Google then search with some extra information such as location or profession etc.
6. Read Profile Carefully:
Read each and every little detail carefully. For example a person with age 24 stating that he is CEO of a big company is difficult one to understand. Ask them for some proof.
7. Check Birth Date
Check birth date, Birth dates like 1/1/XX…..or……31/12/XX are common between fake accounts as it is quite unique and easy to type in.
8. Status Updates, Comment and Likes
Fake accounts likely to have less activities such as no participation in any event, no status update, no comment or likes. May be you should check their Wall and if someone have replied as “Do I know you” or “Why are you not replying to …”.
9. Don’t Accept Strange Friend Request
Don’t accept friend request of someone to whom you have no connection at all like If the person is not amongst your friend or friend of friend or there is no similarity such as dancing, singing, sports between both of you then there is no point accepting request.
10. Unfriend Fake User
Block or Report Fake Facebook Account
If you’re suspicious, unsure, or uncomfortable with having them as part of your Facebook friends, pull the plug. It’s not like they’re your real friends or family, and they could cause you a lot of future problems.
Warn other friends of yours on Facebook if you know they have also friended the fake account; one of the tactics of an impostor is to befriend others in your circle of friends to try and make the friendship seem more “real”. Or maybe you should report them as fake.