Beware the FAKE Facebook “Your Account Will Be Blocked” Scam
Written by: Thomas Orsolya
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Facebook users beware – there is a new phishing scam making the rounds that tries to trick you into handing over your login credentials. Scammers are sending Facebook page admins fraudulent messages claiming that their account is about to be blocked due to violations of Facebook’s terms of service. If you receive one of these messages, do not click on any links or provide any personal information. Read on to learn more about how this scam works and what you should do if you are targeted.
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Overview of the Scam
This phishing campaign targets Facebook page admins with an alarming message stating that their account or page is about to be banned for violating Facebook’s Community Guidelines. The message claims that if the recipient believes this is an error, they can submit a review request within 24 hours through a link provided in the message. If no action is taken, the message claims the account will be permanently disabled.
Of course, this is not actually a message from Facebook, but rather a scam designed to steal login credentials and take over Facebook accounts. The scam message is typically sent via Facebook Messenger to page admins. The language and formatting used closely resembles official Facebook communications, making the message seem legitimate on the surface.
Once users click on the phishing link, they are redirected to a fake Facebook login page that clones the real Facebook website. On this scam website, users are prompted to enter their Facebook login email and password to supposedly submit an appeal and unlock their account. However, in reality, any information entered is sent directly to the scammers behind the phishing attack.
Armed with stolen Facebook credentials, attackers can gain full access to compromised accounts. They often use these hijacked accounts to spread more phishing links or spam to the victim’s friends list. Stolen accounts can also be used to post clickbait links and scammy ads, which allows scammers to generate fraudulent revenue. Even worse, access to a page admin account gives scammers control over any linked Facebook Pages the victim manages. This allows them to post dangerous malware or inappropriate content under the guise of a legitimate Facebook Page.
Overall, this scam is quite devious, as it takes advantage of users’ fear of losing access to their account. The carefully crafted message tricks targets into handing over their login info without thinking twice. All it takes is entering your password once into the fake login page, and your account security is compromised. That’s why it’s critical that Facebook users learn to recognize and avoid this scam.
How the Scam Works
Here is a step-by-step breakdown of exactly how the “Your Account Will Be Blocked” Facebook scam operates:
1. Scammers Send Phishing Message
The scam campaign begins with scammers acquiring or purchasing lists of Facebook user IDs connected to page admin accounts. They target these page admin accounts because compromised pages can be abused to spread more scam links.
Using this list of target accounts, scammers craft a phishing message warning that the user’s Facebook account or page is about to be blocked for policy violations. The message is made to look like official communication from Facebook Support. The scam message will typically say that the account will be permanently disabled within 24 hours unless the recipient appeals by clicking a provided link.
2. Victim Clicks Link to Fake Facebook Site
If the recipient is fooled into thinking the message is real, they will likely click the link out of panic about losing their account. The phishing link redirects to a fake Facebook login page that mimics the design of the real Facebook site. This helps reinforce the illusion that they are on a legitimate Facebook support page.
3. User Attempts Login to Fake Page
On the fake Facebook page, victims are prompted to login to their account by entering their Facebook email and password. This is supposedly to submit an appeal and unlock the account before it is disabled. Unfortunately, any login credentials entered are sent directly to the scammers to be used however they want.
4. Scammers Gain Access to Compromised Accounts
Once scammers have successfully phished the victim’s login info, they gain full access to the compromised Facebook account. With this access, the scammers are free to leverage the account however they please.
They typically start by using the account to send more of the same phishing scam messages to the victim’s friends and network. This allows them to phish even more accounts and grow their scam. They may also post questionable links, content, and spam using the victim’s profile or any linked Pages they now control.
5. Account Owner Loses Control
Meanwhile, the real account owner will find they are locked out of their own Facebook account. With the scammers now controlling it, they have no way to regain access. The only option is to go through Facebook’s account recovery process. However, this can be difficult, especially if the scammers change login details like the password or linked email.
Overall, this scam succeeds by taking advantage of people’s fear of losing their social media presence. The threatening message triggers an emotional response that overrides logical skepticism about the legitimacy of the links and sites. Before they know it, victims have handed over the keys to their account to scammers.
What to Do If You Have Fallen Victim to This Scam
If you inadvertently clicked on a “Your Account Will Be Blocked” Facebook phishing link and entered your login credentials, here are the steps you should take right away:
Change your Facebook password immediately. This locks the scammers out and prevents further access to your account. Use a strong, unique password that isn’t used on any other sites.
Turn on login approvals. Under Facebook settings, enable login approvals, which require you to enter a security code sent to your phone on every login attempt. This adds an extra layer of security.
Check privacy settings. Review all your privacy and account settings to see if the scammers changed anything. Revert any unknown changes.
Remove unknown apps or browsers. Check for any unfamiliar apps or browsers linked to your Facebook account that the scammers may have added and remove them.
Review recent posts and messages. Scan your recent Facebook activity for any spam, inappropriate posts, or phishing links shared from your account while compromised. Delete these.
Warn friends and followers. Let your Facebook friends know your account was compromised in case they received any suspicious messages during the hijack.
Run antivirus software. Run a scan using updated antivirus software to check for any malware that may have been installed during the phishing attack.
Contact Facebook. Use Facebook’s account recovery options to report the hack. You may need to submit ID to prove account ownership if login details were changed.
Monitor activity. Keep a close eye on your Facebook account over the next few weeks to spot any unusual behavior that could indicate further misuse.
Catching and addressing a Facebook phishing attack quickly can help limit the damage. But move fast, or the scammers may do lasting harm to your account reputation or security before you regain control.
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.
The “Your Account Will Be Blocked” phishing scam targeting Facebook users is on the rise. Scammers send fake violation warnings telling recipients to click a link to avoid an account blocking. The link leads to a convincing but fake Facebook login page designed to steal credentials. Armed with a victim’s username and password, scammers can take over accounts and use them to spread more scams.
If you receive an unsolicited message about your Facebook account being disabled, exercise extreme caution. Do not click any links or provide personal information. Check Facebook directly to verify an account violation before taking any action. Be very wary of links promising to resolve account issues, as they are likely phishing attempts. Avoiding traps like this requires always thinking twice before clicking. With awareness and vigilance, Facebook users can protect their accounts from these insidious phishing scams.
FAQ
Is this Facebook blocking message real or a scam?
This is a scam. Facebook does not send out messages threatening to disable accounts and directing users to appeal via questionable links. Any message claiming your account is about to be blocked is likely a phishing scam.
How do I report a Facebook phishing scam?
Forward the scam message to phish@fb.com. You can also report phishing posts by clicking the three dots in the top right corner and selecting “Find support or report post.”
What happens if scammers take over my Facebook account?
They may post spam links or inappropriate content, message your friends with more scams, access personal info in your profile, and link unfamiliar apps or browsers. Move quickly to change your password and secure the account.
Can I get my account back if I entered my Facebook login on a scam page?
Yes, you can recover your account by resetting the password and following Facebook’s hacked account process. But act fast before they change login details or do more damage.
How can I improve Facebook security to avoid scams?
Turn on login approvals, use strong unique passwords, remove unrecognized linked apps, be wary of suspicious messages/links, and enable Facebook protective features like two-factor authentication. Avoid clicking questionable links, even if they seem to come from friends. And never provide your login info unless on the real Facebook website.
What are signs of a Facebook phishing scam page?
Fake Facebook pages used for phishing may have a slightly different URL, missing verification checkmarks, spelling errors, or different fonts/formatting. The page may ask you to log in or enter personal info in a way that the real Facebook would not. Always check the URL and closely examine any login page.
Should I click Facebook appeal links to unlock my account?
No, any links claiming your account is disabled and offering an appeal process are scams trying to phish your password. Facebook does not disable accounts without notice and provide links for appeals. If your account is ever disabled, log into Facebook directly to submit an appeal.
What precautions can Facebook Page admins take against phishing?
Use strong unique passwords, limit admin roles, be extra cautious of odd messages, avoid clicking unverified links, secure accounts with two-factor authentication, monitor activity logs for unauthorized access, and contact Facebook if you suspect your account has been compromised.
Will Facebook compensate me if my account is hacked due to a phishing scam?
No, Facebook is not liable for damages caused by phishing scams or account hijacking. All users are responsible for properly securing their own accounts and avoiding phishing links. Make sure to follow Facebook security best practices.
In summary, be vigilant against any Facebook message that seems suspicious. Look out for scam warning signs, enable protective account features, and think twice before clicking links or entering login credentials. With proper precautions, you can protect your Facebook account and avoid surrendering it to phishing scammers.
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.
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Meet Thomas Orsolya
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.
