Stay Safe Online – Facebook Alert!
Which? Warn that there’s no such thing as an NCG list (National Community Grant). If you get a message from a Facebook friend starting with “Hello, how are you doing mate?” their Facebook account may have been hacked.
The fraudster then goes on to say they saw your name on the NCG list that assists government employees, pensioners, the disabled, etc. with cash. No such list or grant exists. The fraudster claims that they have received a grant for thousands of pounds and sends you a link to make an application. If you click on the link, you will be sent to a dodgy website requesting your personal details – and you may find that the link also downloads malware onto your device.
If you receive a Facebook message like the above, ignore it and try to contact your friend using another method to let them know their account has been hacked.
If it’s your account that’s been hacked, visit www.facebook.com/hacked to secure the account. Consider turning on two-factor authentication (2FA) for added protection against any further attempts.
In recent years there has been a massive increase in the number of websites losing the personal data of their users – for the consumers the after-effects of targeted hack or identity theft can be devastating.
2FA is an extra layer of protection to ensure the security of online accounts.
After entering a username and a password, an extra piece of information is required such as:
- Something you know: like a PIN (personal identification number)
- Something you have: like a credit card
- Something you are: like a fingerprint
With 2FA, a potential compromise of just one of these factors won’t unlock the account. So, even if your password is stolen or your phone is lost, the chances of a someone else having your second-factor information is highly unlikely. Learn more about two-factor authentication and download the Authy app for IOS, Android and Chrome at: https://authy.com/
If you have been affected by a scam – help is out there – Victim Support has a free confidential helpline 0808 168 9111 and so does Mind 0300 123 3393.
Sign up for Which? Scam alerts: https://campaigns.which.co.uk/scam-alert-service/ Find details of recent scams here: www.actionfraud.police.uk and on our Facebook page: Rainford-it-stay safe online