Facebook hacking isn’t anything new but the hackers are always one step ahead of the game with their ever-changing methods. The newest way hackers have been compromising accounts and even outright stealing them is to claim you are a “Trusted Contact” and that they need your help getting back into their own account.
Attackers are essentially abusing Facebook’s “Trusted Contact” feature in order to take control of your account. An actual friend can attempt the scam themselves as well but the majority of the hacks have come from accounts that were previously hacked.
While the “Trusted Contact” feature has many great qualities to it when you truly lose access to your own account, you can protect yourself from the scam with a few simple tips. It is suggested that if you receive such a request, make sure to contact the friend directly: either face to face or on the phone.
Doing so will help you to be sure it truly is the real person making the request or not. No one wants to have their Facebook account compromised for fairly obvious reasons so protecting yourself and your account is pretty important.
Another way to avoid this latest Facebook scam is to stay on your game and pay attention. Don’t just blindly go along with a “Trusted Contact” request without being absolutely sure it’s the real deal.
So far, the majority of those experiencing these hacks have been located in North Africa and the Middle East. Also, the scams seem to be targeting well known people involved with human rights defense and alike but that certainly doesn’t mean it can’t affect you.
In the end, simply pay attention and don’t follow through with any “Trusted Contact” request if you aren’t completely sure it’s really your friend sending it. Your account will remain secure and everyone’s happy, except for the would-be hacker of course!
