Phishing is a cybercrime where scammers send fraudulent emails pretending to be from legitimate companies in order to steal personal information. Facebook is one of the most commonly impersonated companies by phishers. If you receive an email that claims to be from Facebook but seems suspicious, you should report it as phishing to help protect yourself and others. This article will explain what phishing is, how to recognize phishing emails impersonating Facebook, and how to properly report them to Facebook.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is a type of online scam where cybercriminals send emails disguised as legitimate companies in order to trick people into sharing personal information such as passwords, credit card details, etc. The emails often look authentic and use branding and logos of the company they are impersonating in order to appear convincing.
Some things phishing emails may ask you to do include:
- Click on a link to urgently verify or update your account information
- Share your login credentials or personal information
- Download an attachment that contains malware
Phishing scammers have become increasingly sophisticated and their emails can be difficult to distinguish from legitimate ones. Their aim is to steal identities or install malware, allowing them to access users’ accounts, networks, and devices for criminal purposes. Falling victim to phishing scams can result in identity theft, stolen funds, unauthorized purchases on your accounts, and compromised personal information.
How to Recognize Phishing Emails from Facebook
Here are some tips on how to carefully inspect emails and recognize telltale signs of Facebook phishing scams:
Check the sender’s email address
Take a close look at the address in the “From” field of the email. Phishing emails will often use an address that mimics the Facebook domain, such as:
However, authentic Facebook emails will always come from an address ending in @facebookmail.com, @facebook.com or @fb.com.
Inspect the email carefully for spelling errors and inconsistencies
Phishing emails are often rife with typos, grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, and formatting inconsistencies. This is because they are produced in bulk. Real Facebook emails will not contain obvious mistakes.
Hover over hyperlinked text
Do not click on any links or buttons within a suspicious email. Hover your mouse over them to preview the URLs. Phishing links will typically show misspelled or suspicious domain names that have nothing to do with Facebook.
Check for threats demanding immediate action
Facebook will not threaten to suspend your account or demand immediate payment without prior notice. Phishers use urgent language and short deadlines to panic victims into reckless actions.
Watch for generic greetings
Facebook emails will address you by your name or email address. Scams often start with impersonal generic greetings like “Dear user” to maximize their number of potential targets.
Verify the request
If the email requests you to login and provide information or download something, contact Facebook through their official channels to confirm if the request is valid.
How to Report Phishing Emails to Facebook
If an email appears clearly suspicious, report it to Facebook immediately:
Forward the phishing email as an attachment
Forward the scam email as an attachment to [email protected]. This allows Facebook to analyse the content and sender details to improve their detection filters.
Report through Facebook support pages
Go to the Facebook Help Community and submit a report in their designated phishing section. You can also report directly on facebook.com by clicking the inverted triangle in the top right and selecting “Find Support or Report”.
Report sender’s email address
Compose a new email to [email protected]. Copy the fraudulent sender’s email address into the body. Reporting the address directly allows Facebook to blacklist it.
Use the Facebook mobile app
Open the Facebook app settings, go to the Help section, and submit a report about the phishing content. The app allows easy reporting with screenshots.
How Facebook Handles Phishing Scam Reports
When you report a phishing attack to Facebook, here is typically how they respond:
Email analysis
Facebook’s technical teams carefully analyse the content, links, attachments, sender details etc. of the reported email.
Blacklisting
They identify and blacklist the sender’s address, links, domains etc. This blocks further emails and stops current scams spreading.
Filter improvement
The data helps Facebook improve their automatic phishing detection capabilities and block similar scams.
Targeted response
For targeted phishing using compromised accounts, Facebook’s security team takes customized response measures.
Legal action
Facebook cooperates with law enforcement and pursues legal action against phishing perpetrators when possible.
Scam shutdown
Facebook identifies larger phishing networks spreading the same scam and acts to swiftly shut them down entirely.
More security
They use the insights to strengthen their email security infrastructure and protect more users.
Tips to Further Protect Yourself from Phishing Attacks
Here are some general tips to boost your email security and avoid becoming a victim of phishing scams impersonating Facebook or other companies:
Enable two-factor authentication
Add an extra authentication step like SMS codes or authenticator apps to prevent unauthorized logins, even if passwords are compromised.
Check email addresses
Carefully inspect the sender’s address in any emails asking for personal information or payments.
Watch for urgent demands
Legitimate companies will not threaten you or demand immediate payment without prior notice.
Do not click suspicious links or attachments
Navigate to websites manually through your browser instead of clicking links if emails seem suspicious.
Hover over links
Preview URLs by hovering your mouse over links to check if destinations are legitimate.
Verify requests
Confirm unusual payment or personal information requests by contacting the company through their official channels.
Use antivirus protection
Use reputable antivirus software to detect and disable potential malware in attachments.
Staying vigilant against phishing and following safe email practices are crucial measures to protect yourself online. Report any suspicious Facebook emails as phishing immediately to do your part in helping disable these scams.
Conclusion
Phishing scams impersonating trusted brands like Facebook are a prevalent threat online. Being able to recognize the warning signs of phishing emails and reporting them swiftly to the legitimate company is key to defending yourself and preventing criminals from exploiting victims. If an email purporting to be from Facebook seems at all dubious, report it through the Facebook dedicated channels. Facebook’s technical teams actively respond to combat reported phishing attacks. You can also implement added security measures like two-factor authentication to shield your online presence. Remaining mindful when interacting with emails and adopting vigilant security habits will go a long way in protecting yourself, your accounts and your information against phishing threats in the future.