“Facebook Has Temporarily Suspended Your Account” Scam Explained
Written by: Thomas Orsolya
Published on:
You’re scrolling through your Facebook feed after a long day when suddenly an alarming red pop-up takes over your screen:
“Facebook has temporarily suspended your account.“
Your stomach drops. How could this happen? All your photos, conversations, contacts may be gone. The pop-up says to call an 800 number immediately to speak with Facebook support and reactivate your account.
You grab your phone, anxious about losing access to a major piece of your virtual life. But wait—this may well be a scam designed to steal your personal data and money…
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Scam Overview
The “Facebook has temporarily suspended your account” scam starts with an enticing advertisement on websites or social media. For example, you might see ads saying things like “Find out the shocking reason behind this airline passenger’s altercation” or “Flight chaos unfolds: Passenger removed for violent outburst.”
If you click on these dramatic headlines, you are taken to a website that pretends to be Facebook. For instance, the fraudulent website name may include “FB”, “Facebook”, or “Meta” to appear legitimate. Upon landing on the site, you will see an alarming pop-up saying “Facebook has temporarily suspended your account.“
This message is intended to create panic and get users to act quickly without thinking. You’ll then be given two options: Ignore or Accept. If you click Accept, the scam intensifies. You’ll see fake security warnings claiming your device is infected with malware or has been “disabled” for suspicious activity.
The scam page also displays a phone number, usually a 1-8xx number, for you to call to supposedly restore your account access. However, this phone number actually routes you to cybercriminals posing as Facebook, Microsoft, or Apple support. Their goal is to trick you into giving remote access to your computer or sharing sensitive login credentials and financial information.
In essence, this is a phishing scam disguised as a tech support scam. The criminals behind it want to steal your personal data and money or infect your device with malware.
This scam has been also investigated by Jordan Liles on his YouTube channel, where he offers a detailed video on the subject. We recommend watching his content for a comprehensive understanding of the scam.
Next, let’s break down exactly how scammers carry out this scam from start to finish.
How the Scam Works
The scam starts with an enticing advertisement on a website or social media platform, usually including exaggerated headlines about chaos or violence on an airline flight. For example, “Panic on JetBlue Flight – Elderly Woman Duct-Taped to Seat.”
If you click on the dramatic headline, you will be redirected away from the original website to a fraudulent website pretending to be the Facebook login page. The URL may look convincing with words like “fb” or “login” but it is not the real Facebook site.
Immediately upon landing on the fake Facebook login page, you will see a prominent pop-up message at the top of the screen stating: “Facebook has temporarily suspended your account.” The pop-up is designed with Facebook logos and branding to appear legitimate.
Underneath this urgent warning, you will be presented with two options: “Cancel” or “Confirm.” This is to get you to take immediate action without thinking critically.
If you click “Confirm”, the scam escalates with additional pop-ups flooding the page about malware and suspicious activity. For example, “AppleCare has temporarily disabled your internet connection and computer for suspicious activity.” This taps into fear of losing access to scare you.
Pop-ups warning you to contact tech support immediately will inundate the screen. The page will highlight a phone number, often a 1-855 number, sometimes claiming to be Facebook Security Support.
If you call the fraudulent number, you will reach a scam call center rather than real Facebook support. Con artists posing as tech support will answer the phone.
The scammers will ask you probing questions to learn more about you and determine how much money they can extort. They may ask for access to your computer by having you download screensharing software.
Through social engineering manipulation tactics, they will convince you that your accounts and device are in danger, even if that is untrue.
The scammers will provide fake “diagnoses” of malware infections, viruses, or other compromise in order to demand large sums of money from you to remove these non-existent threats.
If you comply with their requests for money or access to your device, the cybercriminals can install malware, steal personal data, take over accounts, and monitor your online activity.
Ultimately, the scammers are trying to convince targets to willingly give up control over their computer, surrender their Facebook password, or purchase unnecessary services. This allows them to take your money and/or your personal information for identity theft.
In summary, this scam leverages your fear of losing access to your social media account to trick you into installing malware, paying exorbitant fees, or surrendering control to cybercriminal call centers. Always think critically before clicking on ads or calling numbers listed on suspicious websites.
What to Do if You Fall for This Scam
If you called the number on the scam page or gave remote access to your device, here are important steps to take immediately:
Reset all account passwords, starting with your email, social media, and banking accounts. Use strong unique passwords for each account. Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.
Contact your bank and credit card companies to alert them of potential fraud. They can watch for suspicious charges and send you new cards.
Scan your computer for malware using legitimate antivirus software like Malwarebytes, Emsisoft, or Bitdefender. Remove anything suspicious that is found.
Call your local police department’s non-emergency line to file an incident report about the scam. This creates a paper trail in case your information is misused.
Check your credit reports regularly and set up fraud alerts. Look for any signs your identity may be compromised, like new accounts opened in your name.
Avoid clicking ads with sensational headlines that lead to questionable websites. Go directly to known, trusted sites.
Never give control of your computer to someone who contacts you out of the blue. Real tech support will not do this.
Is Your Device Infected? Check for Malware
If your device is running slowly or acting suspicious, it may be infected with malware. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is a great option for scanning your device and detecting potential malware or viruses. The free version can efficiently check for and remove many common infections.
Malwarebytes can run on Windows, Mac, and Android devices. Depending on which operating system is installed on the device you’re trying to run a Malwarebytes scan, please click on the tab below and follow the displayed steps.
Malwarebytes For WindowsMalwarebytes For MacMalwarebytes For Android
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Windows to remove malware
Malwarebytes stands out as one of the leading and widely-used anti-malware solutions for Windows, and for good reason. It effectively eradicates various types of malware that other programs often overlook, all at no cost to you. When it comes to disinfecting an infected device, Malwarebytes has consistently been a free and indispensable tool in the battle against malware. We highly recommend it for maintaining a clean and secure system.
Download Malwarebytes for Windows
You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.
After the download is complete, locate the MBSetup file, typically found in your Downloads folder. Double-click on the MBSetup file to begin the installation of Malwarebytes on your computer. If a User Account Control pop-up appears, click “Yes” to continue the Malwarebytes installation.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, the setup wizard will guide you through the process.
You’ll first be prompted to choose the type of computer you’re installing the program on—select either “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” as appropriate, then click on Next.
Malwarebytes will now begin the installation process on your device.
When the Malwarebytes installation is complete, the program will automatically open to the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen.
On the final screen, simply click on the Open Malwarebytes option to start the program.
Enable “Rootkit scanning”.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start, and you will see the main screen as shown below. To maximize Malwarebytes’ ability to detect malware and unwanted programs, we need to enable rootkit scanning. Click on the “Settings” gear icon located on the left of the screen to access the general settings section.
In the settings menu, enable the “Scan for rootkits” option by clicking the toggle switch until it turns blue.
Now that you have enabled rootkit scanning, click on the “Dashboard” button in the left pane to get back to the main screen.
Perform a Scan with Malwarebytes.
To start a scan, click the Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its antivirus database and begin scanning your computer for malicious programs.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Quarantine detected malware
Once the Malwarebytes scan is complete, it will display a list of detected malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. To effectively remove these threats, click the “Quarantine” button.
Malwarebytes will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the program’s quarantine.
Restart your computer.
When removing files, Malwarebytes may require a reboot to fully eliminate some threats. If you see a message indicating that a reboot is needed, please allow it. Once your computer has restarted and you are logged back in, you can continue with the remaining steps.
Your computer should now be free of trojans, adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Mac to remove malware
Malwarebytes for Mac is an on-demand scanner that can destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss without costing you absolutely anything. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free, and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.
Download Malwarebytes for Mac.
You can download Malwarebytes for Mac by clicking the link below.
When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes for Mac Installer which will guide you through the installation process. Click “Continue“, then keep following the prompts to continue with the installation process.
When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen. Click the “Get started” button.
Select “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer”.
The Malwarebytes Welcome screen will first ask you what type of computer are you installing this program, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
Click on “Scan”.
To scan your computer with Malwarebytes, click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes for Mac will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malware.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will scan your computer for adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Quarantine”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove the malware that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.
Restart computer.
Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious files that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
Your Mac should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious program on your computer, you might want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove a malicious program from your computer, please ask for help in our Mac Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
Scan your phone with Malwarebytes for Android to remove malware
Malwarebytes for Android automatically detects and removes dangerous threats like malware and ransomware so you don’t have to worry about your most-used device being compromised. Aggressive detection of adware and potentially unwanted programs keeps your Android phone or tablet running smooth.
Download Malwarebytes for Android.
You can download Malwarebytes for Android by clicking the link below.
In the Google Play Store, tap “Install” to install Malwarebytes for Android on your device.
When the installation process has finished, tap “Open” to begin using Malwarebytes for Android. You can also open Malwarebytes by tapping on its icon in your phone menu or home screen.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process
When Malwarebytes will open, you will see the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard which will guide you through a series of permissions and other setup options. This is the first of two screens that explain the difference between the Premium and Free versions. Swipe this screen to continue. Tap on “Got it” to proceed to the next step. Malwarebytes for Android will now ask for a set of permissions that are required to scan your device and protect it from malware. Tap on “Give permission” to continue. Tap on “Allow” to permit Malwarebytes to access the files on your phone.
Update database and run a scan with Malwarebytes for Android
You will now be prompted to update the Malwarebytes database and run a full system scan.
Click on “Update database” to update the Malwarebytes for Android definitions to the latest version, then click on “Run full scan” to perform a system scan.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now start scanning your phone for adware and other malicious apps. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Remove Selected”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes for Android has detected. To remove the malicious apps that Malwarebytes has found, tap on the “Remove Selected” button.
Restart your phone.
Malwarebytes for Android will now remove all the malicious apps that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your device.
Your phone should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious app on your phone, you may want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your phone after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Restore your phone to factory settings by going to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset.
Frequently Asked Questions About the “Facebook Account Suspended” Scam
1. What is the “Facebook account suspended” scam?
The “Facebook account suspended” scam is a deceptive online scam where victims receive a fake pop-up message while browsing the web stating that their Facebook account has been temporarily suspended. This message is displayed on a fraudulent website impersonating the real Facebook login page. The pop-up prompts victims to call a phone number to reactivate their account, but this number actually leads to a scam call center. Criminals posing as Facebook support will then try to steal personal and financial information from victims.
2. How does the Facebook account suspension scam work?
This tech support scam typically begins when you see an enticing advertisement with shocking or exaggerated headlines, usually about chaos on an airline flight. If you click on the ad, you are redirected to a fake Facebook login page showing an urgent pop-up about your account being suspended. If you call the phone number provided, scammers pretending to be Facebook support will attempt to gain remote access to your computer or trick you into providing passwords, credit card details, or other sensitive information. Their ultimate goal is identity theft and financial fraud.
3. What are some examples of headline clickbait used in this scam?
Some examples of dramatic headline clickbait used by this Facebook scam include:
Flight Chaos Unfolds: Passenger Forcibly Removed for Violent Tirade
Panic on JetBlue Flight – Elderly Woman Duct-Taped to Seat
Horror on Southwest Flight: Man Gets Tackled After Charging Cockpit
Shocking Reason This Delta Passenger Was Duct-Taped to Her Seat
4. What tricks do scammers use to make their site seem real?
To make their fake Facebook login pages seem authentic, scammers use misleading domain names like “fb-support” or “account-facebook.” They copy the real Facebook logo and layout. The pop-up has Facebook branding and wording to appear legit. The toll-free numbers they provide often start with 1-855 like real support lines.
5. What information do the scammers try to get from victims?
The cybercriminals posing as Facebook tech support use social engineering tactics to get users to reveal passwords, credit card numbers, bank account details, Social Security numbers, and other valuable data. They may also convince victims to grant them remote access to their computer in order to steal financial and identity information.
6. What should I do if I think I fell for the Facebook account suspension scam?
If you provided any sensitive information or remote computer access, take these steps immediately:
Reset all account passwords and enable two-factor authentication
Contact banks to monitor for fraudulent charges
Scan devices for malware and viruses
File a report with local law enforcement
Place fraud alerts on your credit reports
7. How can I avoid the Facebook account suspended scam?
Avoid clicking on sensationalized advertisements with shocking headlines. Navigate directly to known websites. Verify emails and messages claiming to be from Facebook through official channels. Never provide personal information or remote device access to unsolicited calls. Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. With vigilance, you can protect yourself from this scam.
8. What should I do if I see the account suspended pop-up?
If you encounter the “account suspended” pop-up, do not call the phone number provided. Close the page, then open a new browser and go directly to Facebook through the real URL to confirm your account status. Report the fraudulent page to Facebook.
9. Who should I contact about these types of scams?
To report fake Facebook pages or tech support scams, you can contact Facebook directly through their help pages. You can also file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Fraud division and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
10. How can I learn to identify and avoid online scams?
Be wary of unsolicited messages that warn you or require immediate action. Verify requests through official sources. Use strong usernames and passwords. Install antivirus software. Avoid clicking links or calling numbers provided in suspicious messages. Learn the common tricks and tactics used by scammers to better protect yourself.
The Bottom Line
The “Facebook account suspended” scam preys on people’s fear of losing access to their social media profiles or having their devices compromised. Stay wary of dramatic ads directing you to unknown sites. If confronted with alarming pop-ups about your account or device security, ignore them and contact the real companies directly through official channels, not phone numbers on suspicious pages. Treat all unsolicited calls claiming to be tech support as highly dubious.
By understanding common online scams like this, you can spot the red flags and protect yourself from being deceived. Use caution clicking ads or links, restrict remote access to your devices, and keep your antivirus software updated. Protect your accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Report any suspected fraud to the proper authorities. With vigilance, you can avoid becoming victimized by the “Facebook account suspended” con or other cybercrimes.
How to Stay Safe Online
Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:
Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.
It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.
Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.
Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.
Be careful when installing programs and apps.
Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."
Install an ad blocker.
Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.
Be careful what you download.
A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.
Be alert for people trying to trick you.
Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.
Back up your data.
Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.
Choose strong passwords.
Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.
Be careful where you click.
Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.
Don't use pirated software.
Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.
To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.
Thomas is an expert at uncovering scams and providing in-depth reporting on cyber threats and online fraud. As an editor, he is dedicated to keeping readers informed on the latest developments in cybersecurity and tech.
