Identity Fraud through Social Media
Social Media, we can't live without it these days. Especially during the Corona crisis, we have more and more online contact with each other. Although Social Media is seen by most people as a safe and trustworthy environment, there are still many dangers. Identity fraud is one of the dangers that is becoming more prevalent through Social Media.
What is Identity Fraud through Social Media?
Social Media is a collective term for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Because the digital world is becoming an ever more important part of our society, criminals are increasingly using social media to make their moves. Identity fraud through Social Media can occur in many different ways. For example, someone else, a known or unknown person, may create a Social Media account with your information. Another possibility is that you may become friends with someone or even have an online relationship with someone pretending to be someone else. The criminals want to gain the trust of (the family/friends of) their victims for financial gain. In addition, the data may be used to set up subscriptions or for stalking purposes.
But the risk of becoming a victim of identity fraud via Social Media applies not just to you as a private individual. Companies are also regularly faced with this problem. Organisations often have a Facebook or LinkedIn page for internal and external marketing purposes. This data can also be copied and abused by criminals.
Consequences
If you have become a victim of identity fraud through Social Media, there can be various consequences. For example, it can lead to image damage. Think of messages with incorrect information that are spread under your (company) name.
It is also possible that the fake account, which is set up with your photos or company logos, will result in financial damage to yourself, your company, business associates or your family or friends. For example, the criminals may blackmail you by threatening to post fake sexually explicit photos of you on the fake account, or they may comment under your company's name on websites or articles that are harmful to your company's image.
How to prevent
To reduce the chances of your identity being stolen, it is wise to properly shield your Social Media accounts. Make sure your photos and other information about yourself are only visible to the people you know. Who can see the photos on your account can often be changed via the Privacy & Security settings. It is also possible to upload photos of yourself or your company's logo in Google Images. This may allow you to find out if your photos or company logo appears anywhere else on the internet besides your own Social Media account. Finally, it is advisable to Google yourself or your company by entering your (company) name in the search bar. This allows you to detect any fake accounts of yourself.
How to solve
Are you or your organisation a victim of identity fraud via Social Media? If so, always file a report and take screenshots of the fake account to support the report. Additionally, after taking screenshots, it is wise to submit a report on the Social Media platform you discovered the fraud on. In most cases, the account will be deleted quickly.
Furthermore, the OSINT specialists of DataExpert are happy to help you investigate identity fraud via Social Media. They can proactively monitor for fake accounts through OSINT tools.
If you want assistance in detecting identity fraud, be sure to contact us.
