By KAREN LAGRANGE COX
CLONERs clone your Facebook profile using your photos and information. The purpose of cloning your FB profile is to attempt to SCAM YOUR FRIENDS by pretending to be you. Please note a cloner is different than a hacker – a cloner copies your FB profile while a hacker gets access to your FB account.
Once the scammer clones your profile, they will send a private message or call (if their phone number is on their profile) those on your friends list. The scammer (pretending to be you) will tell your friends things like they are on vacation and lost their wallet and need money to get home, tell your friends to send money and will get back more money in return, etc. DO NOT SEND MONEY!! (if you get scammed, report it to the Police immediately!)
The scammer who clones you needs your friends list in order to try to pull off the scam. One way to help combat your profile from being cloned is to hide your friends. To hide your friends list do the following:
On your laptop or computer:
- click on the gear icon on the top right (on your computer or laptop; on your phone app it would be the 3 lines).
- click on Settings & Privacy
- click on Settings
- click on Privacy
- in the right column, under How People Find and Contact You, click on the Edit link by Who Can See Your Friends List?
- select Only Me
On your smart phone Facebook App:
- click on the 3 lines at the top right
- click on Settings & Privacy
- click on Settings
- under Privacy, click on Privacy Settings
- click on Who Can See Your Friends List?
- select Only Me
If you get a private message, look to see where it shows coming from. Messages from scammers could show it initiated from outside of the USA, i.e. Nigeria, etc.
Private messages from scammers are usually in a section of FB Messenger called Message Requests.
If you get a Facebook call (or any call) from someone who says they know you and knows some of your personal information, ask the person a question or two that only the two of you would know. This can help you know the legitimacy of the person contacting you.
