Fake Friend Request
By Gina
@Gina145 (3949)
Johannesburg, South Africa
December 5, 2016 6:54am CST
When I logged on to Facebook this morning I found a new friend request waiting for me. I was a bit surprised to see that it came from my cousin, someone who's been on my friend list almost as long as I've been on Facebook.
I quickly checked my friend list to confirm that she hadn't accidentally unfriended me, then checked the new profile which only had a handful of friends compared to the 200+ she has on her real one. Clearly her profile had been cloned.
Obviously I rejected this new request but I'm a bit concerned about those of her friends who accepted and have now allowed their private information to be compromised.
Has this ever happened to you or anyone you know?
Here's an article about cloned profiles and how to prevent it happening to you:
Scammers are now copying your Facebook profile.
8 people like this
6 responses
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
5 Dec 16
If you get a friend request from someone you are already friends with - then don't accept it.
1 person likes this
@Gina145 (3949)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
5 Dec 16
@AbbyGreenhill That was what I thought, but it seems some people don't stop to think about it.
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
5 Dec 16
@Gina145 unfortunately people don't think.
1 person likes this
@Gina145 (3949)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
5 Dec 16
@MALUSE I sometimes wonder if I should be, but I've got real-life friends and relations in distant parts who don't use any other form of communication. I also use Facebook to promote my blog, so I guess I need it. I'm just very cautious about what I post there.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121546)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Dec 16
This just happened to me about five minutes ago, when I got a friend request from someone that I already know I am friends with on Facebook. I just deleted the request without looking into it further, as I knew it was a fake.
1 person likes this
@Gina145 (3949)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
6 Dec 16
@moffittjc I hope your friend is aware of it and has informed Facebook. That fake account needs to be deleted.
1 person likes this
