Since its official launch in February 2004, Facebook has become a popular social networking site with over one billion active users and over 8 million apps integrated with its platform. Most people use Facebook to remain updated in their social network, while many others use it for fun. Spammers can spread offensive and malicious content over the web through Facebook in a matter of few minutes. It is your part of responsibility to be educated on the current Facebook security issues so that you can recognize and avoid malicious contents from cluttering your Facebook account.
The below tips will help you check Facebook security issues quickly and tweak your default security settings to secure your Facebook account and keep your profile safe from unwanted spamming and stalkers.
Fake Product Pages
Many fake products are being promoted on Facebook these days to gain popularity among the general mass. This trend has been on the rise on Facebook for quite a while now wherein a photo of a particular product is posted in order to receive likes and shares. However, at times, many spammers create fake product pages to get likes and through this way, they get to know of your profile. Once you click on like, spammers can stalk you and create unnecessary nuisances for you. So, the next time when you spot a promotional page on Facebook, don’t be tempted as it may be fake! Don’t click like for a product unless you are sure of its authenticity.
Manipulated Accounts Recommendations
The Facebook interface suggests you some known faces whom you might like to add in your friend list. However, many times, you get friend recommendations whom you may not be knowing even. This is a way how stalkers use search engine optimization tools to reach you. Facebook recommends friends in a number of ways, but a very simple way is through shared apps. Spammers sign up for some popular apps that real users do and shortly they start being shown up in your recommended friends list. So, be sure not to fall in the trap by adding unknown faces to your Facebook friend list.
Photo Tagging For Spamming
Photo tagging is one of the most common methods of spamming through social media network. Potential spammers can tag as many 50 other accounts in a photo. You can well imagine that if a single Facebook album contains 200 photos that means around 10,000 people can be tagged in each album. With everyone in Facebook having a maximum of 5,000 friends, each photo can reach a quarter million people. To avoid this, tighten your security settings, and every time you receive a tag request, don’t accept it unless you are actually clicked in the photo and you know that the photo is being uploaded by your close acquaintances.
Fake Apps
Facebook is overflowing with fake, malicious and misleading apps these days. These apps might have descriptions and content that might appeal you to like it; however, these are simply information gathering apps that makes business for spammers. Be careful not to like or share a Facebook app unless you know that it actually exists or any other trusted source recommends it. A “Like” or “Share” can let stalkers get in touch with your profile and might be you are likely to promote their business too. If you get requests from any such fake app page, block it immediately.
Anomalous Behavior
Don’t get tempted by offers made by unknown profiles on Facebook. At times, you receive offers and messages like “Get an IPad for free” or “Win a Trip to Thailand”. These might be from account holders whom you don’t even know. These are stalkers and spammers who might have seen your profile and are trying to reach you. To prevent total strangers from reaching you and contacting you on Facebook, click Edit Settings to the right of How You Connect. The default setting is to let people find you up by your profile name and reach you by sending you friend requests and messages. Edit these settings to tighten up your security level so that people are unable to find you or message you unless they are aware of your personal email address and private telephone number.