Q&A: fake friends on Facebook

Advertisement
By J.D. Biersdorfer New York Times | Updated: 5 June 2012 02:17 IST
Highlights
  • Q.
  • Facebook keeps sending me e-mail messages to notifying me of comments and photos posted to my wall, but the alerts are not coming to the e-mail account I use with Facebook. Is someone impersonating me?
Q.

Facebook keeps sending me e-mail messages to notifying me of comments and photos posted to my wall, but the alerts are not coming to the e-mail account I use with Facebook. Is someone impersonating me?

A.

Impersonation on Facebook is a possibility. But unless you clicked a confirmation link at one point to acknowledge that you set up a Facebook account linked to that e-mail address, it is more likely that you are getting fraudulent Facebook messages. (If you received no confirmation message and someone is trying to use your address to set up a Facebook account, that account will only be active for a short time because Facebook deactivates unconfirmed accounts after three days.)

The spoofed messages, which are intended to look exactly like Facebook's own notifications, often contain links to spam sites or malware that is activated when you click a link or an attachment. Some could also be phishing efforts to get you to type in your Facebook password so your account can be hijacked.

Facebook has a fairly extensive list of scams and threats on its site, which can be found by clicking the Threats link at www.facebook.com/security. The page also has links to other resources, like how to report account abuse. 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Available at 'Lowest Price of the Year' on Amazon
  2. Infinix Note Edge Review
  3. OnePlus N6 With an 8,000mAh Battery Arrives in India at This Price
  4. OnePlus Announces Deals on These Products for Upcoming Prime Day Sale
  5. iPhone 18 Pro Rear Design, New Colourway Spotted in Drop Test Video
  1. Xbox Has Reportedly Paused New Third-Party Game Pass Deals
  2. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra to Get 50-Megapixel Ultrawide Camera, No Camera Upgrades for Galaxy Z Flip 8: Report
  3. iPhone 18 Pro Rear Design, New Colourway Spotted in Purported Drop Test Video
  4. Samsung Galaxy A27 5G Price in India Revealed Days After Launch: Key Specifications, Features
  5. Germany Takes Lead in Europe’s MiCA Crypto Licensing With 57 CASPs Ahead of Deadline
  6. Nothing Phone 4b's Key Specifications Spotted via Leaked Real-life Images, Could Feature 6,000mAh Battery
  7. Acer TravelLite TL24-54M Launched in India With Intel Core Series 3 Chip, 14-Inch Display: Price, Specifications
  8. Qualcomm Schedules Snapdragon Summit 2026 for September: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Series Expected to Debut
  9. Bitcoin Price Slides to $59,500 as US Fed Signals, Strategy's Turnaround Plans Weigh on Sentiment
  10. State of Decay 3 Developer Undead Labs Reportedly Facing Closure Amidst Xbox Cuts
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.