Facebook will not charge you to keep your profile private

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Some old Facebook scams are making the rounds again!

If you see a status update about Facebook coming for your photos or other personal information, it’s a hoax — and possibly a costly scam!

Read more: The #1 Facebook security feature you probably aren’t using

5 Facebook scams & hoaxes to look out for

1. The privacy hoax

This one, which recently started making the rounds again, has been around for years. Users post a status update that looks something like this:

These scams pop up every once in a while and here’s what it may look like:

I do not give Facebook or any entities associated with Facebook permission to use my pictures, information, or posts, both past and future. By this statement, I give notice to Facebook it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, or take any other action against me based on this profile and/or its contents. The content of this profile is private and confidential information. The violation of privacy can be punished by law (UCC 1-308- 1 1 308-103 and the Rome Statute). NOTE: Facebook is now a public entity. All members must post a note like this. If you prefer, you can copy and paste this version. If you do not publish a statement atleast once it will be tactically allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in the profile status updates.

2. The subscription hoax

This is another hoax that claims users can pay a fee to have their information made private:

Now it’s official! It has been published in the media. Facebook has just released the entry price: £5.99 to keep the subscription of your status to be set to ‘private’. If you paste this message on your page, it will be offered free (I said paste not share) if not tomorrow, all your posts can become public. Even the messages that have been deleted or the photos not allowed. After all, it does not cost anything for a simple copy and paste.

Do not fall for these hoaxes. They’ve been debunked several times in the past. Plus, Facebook weighed in on the issue Monday. ‘The thing about copying and pasting a legal notice is just a hoax,’ the company wrote. Facebook says it has no plan to start charging users to keep their profiles private.

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And before you click on any link someone shares about Facebook’s privacy policy, first take a look at the company’s legal terms to understand how the company is allowed to use your information. 

Warning: An old Facebook scam is making the rounds again!

3. The photo notification scam

If you get an email telling you that you’ve been tagged in a photo on Facebook, don’t click on that link in the email to see the picture! It could download a virus to your computer.

A while back, according to Mashable.com, there was a new criminal running a sophisticated malware program targeted at the millions of Americans on Facebook.

Here’s how this one plays out: You get a notification email from what appears to be Facebook. But look closely at the link in the email and you’ll see Facebook is slightly misspelled as ‘Faceboook’ (with an extra ‘o’).

So when you get the email, first hover your mouse over the link and confirm the ‘Faceboook’ misspelling. Then promptly delete it!

If you do click on the link, a virus is downloaded to your computer in 4 seconds. Then you’re quickly redirected to the real Facebook page. It’s so seamless that most people don’t even notice anything is wrong. (If this has happened to you, be sure to see my Virus, Spyware and Malware Protection Guide for free fixes that can help when you’re already infected.)

Read more: New search tool helps you easily find photos on Facebook

4. The ‘dislike’ button scam

Facebook released the ‘Reactions’ feature last year, which allows users to express more emotions Facebook. 

But the feature does NOT include a ‘dislike’ button, so don’t fall for any scams offering this type of feature on Facebook.

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Scammers are using it as a way to fool you and steal your information.

Facebook has not released anything about a ‘dislike’ button, and if it ever does, computer security site Naked Security says that it will be provided by Facebook and it will be a part of Facebook itself. You will not need to download anything from a third-party site! 

So if you get any requests or offers to download a ‘dislike’ button, don’t do it! These are scams. Get more on this particular scam here.

5. Other types of clickjacking

Ever see those Facebook posts with racy videos and photos, or ads promising deals that seem too good to be true? Well, they usually are. According to Facebook, ‘clickjacking is when scammers load fake buttons and icons to trick people into making unwanted actions.’ Usually, those actions involve giving up personal information. If you’ve accidentally clicked on one of these posts, check out the NakedSecurity blog for tips on what to do next.

6. Facebook customer service scam

According to Google’s data, ‘Facebook customer service’ is searched about 27,000 times a month — which isn’t too surprising considering Facebook doesn’t offer a customer service phone number on its site. In fact, there isn’t one.

The only way to contact Facebook is through its help center page, but since most people don’t know that, they’re falling for a new scam that involves criminals posing as Facebook officials offering users ‘customer service help.’

Here’s more on how to spot the scam and how to avoid handing over your login credentials to crooks.

Beware of fake retail websites that will steal your info

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