Millions of people use Facebook every day — and so do scammers. They know that many people trust messages from “friends” and “familiar” companies on social media. Here is what to watch out for.

The Most Common Facebook Scams

1. The “You’ve Won a Prize!” Scam

You see a post or get a message saying you have won a gift card, iPhone, or holiday. To claim it, you need to click a link and provide your personal information or pay a small “shipping fee.”

The truth: There is no prize. Once you pay or share your details, the scammers disappear.

What to do: Ignore it. Real competitions do not ask you to pay to receive a prize.

2. The Fake Friend Request

You receive a friend request from someone you are already friends with. When you accept, they send you a message with a link — often saying “Look at this photo of you!” or “I need your help urgently.”

The truth: Your real friend’s account was copied. Scammers created a fake profile with the same name and photo.

What to do:

• Do not click any links
• Message your real friend through their existing profile to check
• Report the fake profile to Facebook

3. The “Facebook Account Will Be Closed” Message

You receive a message or see a post claiming that your Facebook account will be deleted unless you verify your information or click a link within 24 hours.

The truth: Facebook does not contact you this way. This is a phishing scam designed to steal your password.

What to do: Never click the link. Go directly to facebook.com and log in normally. If there is a real issue, you will see a notification there.

4. Fake Marketplace Sellers

You find a great deal on Facebook Marketplace — a sofa, a car, or electronics at a very low price. The seller asks for payment upfront and then never delivers the item.

What to do:

• Never pay before seeing the item in person
• Use Facebook’s payment protection where available
• Be suspicious of prices that seem too good to be true

5. The Investment / Cryptocurrency Scam

A “friend” (often a fake account or a hacked real account) contacts you with an investment opportunity — often involving cryptocurrency or forex trading. They claim they made thousands of pounds with a special platform.

The truth: This is a scam. You will lose every penny you invest.

What to do: Never invest money based on a social media recommendation, even from someone you know. Always verify directly with the real person before taking any action.

General Rules for Staying Safe on Facebook

• Do not click links in messages unless you are 100% sure they are legitimate
• Check who sent a message — is the account new? Does it have few friends or posts?
• Be suspicious of urgency — “Act now!”, “Limited time!”, “Your account will be deleted!”
• Never share your password with anyone, including people who claim to be from Facebook support
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication — this means even if someone gets your password, they cannot log in without a code sent to your phone

How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication on Facebook

1. Go to Settings & Privacy → Settings
2. Click Security and Login
3. Find Two-Factor Authentication and click Edit
4. Follow the steps to set it up with your phone number

This one step makes your account much harder to hack.

Bottom line: If something on Facebook seems too good to be true, it probably is. When in doubt, do nothing and check with a family member or friend you trust.