What are the dangers on Facebook?

Facebook is a very popular social network, but there are also many dangers lurking there. With its many members worldwide, Facebook is a favorite food for data thieves, criminals and fraudsters. We show you which threats you are facing and how you can protect yourself against them.

Dangers on Facebook: the fake fan page

With Facebook it is possible to set up fan pages for other people or companies. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see who created the page and what its purpose is. For example, strangers lure with alleged 25-euro vouchers if you only click on "Like". On fan pages, you should be puzzled by the following points:

• The text of the page is formulated in poor German, for example without capitalization and with grammatical errors.
• The site is giving away money to win Facebook fans.
• There is no imprint or other information about contact details.

Fake Facebook mail

If you receive new messages and certain activities have occurred on your profile, Facebook will inform you about this by email. This is used by fraudsters and data thieves for fake mails. Often, in the typical Facebook look, they claim that there is a new message for the recipient. What happens when you click on such a link and how you can protect yourself from it can be read in the following two key points:

• The link in the mail leads to another website and not to Facebook. There, personal data can be tapped from you and malware or Trojans can be smuggled onto your computer.
• Many modern mail programs offer the possibility to see which page a link actually leads to before clicking. All you have to do is move your mouse over the link.

A spicy video as a danger on Facebook

By pointing out an alleged horror, sex or celebrity video, the fraudsters lure many users into the trap with their curiosity. You should note these points with Facebook videos:

• If you become a fan of a page, like it or follow a specific link to watch the video, it is a bit lazy.
• If you are asked to provide personal information before watching the video, you should usually get malware or end up in a trap.
• There can be a Facebook worm in the video. If you then just click on the video without perhaps watching it, it will be spread unintentionally via chat or profile message among friends on Facebook.

Danger of click fraud with Facebook worms

Facebook worms arise when the perpetrators overlay Internet pages with an invisible, second level. The user who thinks he is on the "normal" Facebook page unintentionally triggers actions. The worm can

• add manipulated status messages,
• Send chat messages to friends,
• Reload malware,
• forward to phishing sites.

Hoaxes and false warnings on Facebook

A hoax is a hoax or rumor. In the past, these were often sent by email, now Facebook is increasingly affected. The result: uncertainty among the population due to false warnings and claims. In the picture you can see a hoax that is currently frequently making the rounds and, according to the police, is definitely a hoax.

Take action against dangers on Facebook

• Every post on Facebook can be reported as spam. To do this, click on the triangle symbol in the top right of the post. Then select "Report a message or spam" in the menu that opens (see picture).
• The Facebook page "Think first - then click!" informs about current error messages on Facebook.
• Be skeptical: nothing is given away online. Sounds a little too good to be true, it's more of a trap.

Do you need further help on Facebook? In further practical tips, we will tell you how to create friend lists or what you can do if your Facebook account has been blocked.