At Busy Bee Media, we want to ensure you’re well-informed about an emerging scam affecting Facebook users. This scam begins with an unsolicited message in Facebook users’ inboxes, posing as “Meta Business Support” or a similarly misleading title. The message falsely claims that the recipient’s Facebook page has been disabled due to violating Meta’s Terms of Service, such as the unauthorized use of images, sharing misleading content, or misrepresenting a brand’s identity. It may even suggest that prior warnings about these infringements have been issued, urging immediate action to prevent the permanent deletion of the page. Typically, a link titled “Confirm Account,” “Appeal Disabling,” or “View Details Here” is provided.
However, this seemingly innocuous link redirects the recipient to a counterfeit phishing website that impersonates Facebook’s login page. When users enter their login credentials on this fraudulent site, they unknowingly provide scammers full access to their Facebook accounts.
This scam preys on fear and urgency, as the prospect of quickly resolving a disabled page often prompts victims to act hastily without verifying the legitimacy of the message.
Here’s a breakdown of how the “Your Page Has Been Disabled” phishing scam on Facebook operates:
A) Users receive an unsolicited message in their Facebook inbox, often from a sender posing as “Facebook Business Support” or “Facebook Copyright Division.” The notice alleges that the user’s Facebook page has been deactivated due to reported violations, adding credibility by mentioning third-party complaints.
Common violations mentioned include:
- Unauthorized use of images
- Dissemination of misleading, inaccurate, or harmful content
- Impersonation or distortion of a brand’s identity
- Breach of Facebook’s community standards: The message may also claim that prior warnings were issued without corrective action, emphasizing the need for immediate verification to avoid page removal.
B) When a user clicks on the provided link labeled “Confirm Account Ownership” or similar calls to action, they are directed to a fake Facebook/Meta login page. This phishing page replicates the design and layout of a legitimate Facebook site, prompting users to provide their login credentials (email and password) to initiate the account verification process.
In some cases, users may be redirected through intermediary sites to conceal the fraudulent domain name displayed in the address bar.
Given the close resemblance to the authentic Facebook login page, users often unknowingly submit their credentials, unwittingly granting scammers access to their Facebook accounts.
C) Armed with users’ usernames and passwords, scammers gain direct entry to their Facebook accounts and associated pages, mirroring the control of legitimate account holders. This access enables scammers to publish content, communicate with connections, access personal information, use linked applications, and more.
The compromised account can be exploited in various ways, including:
- Publishing clickbait, false news, or malicious links to generate traffic or install malware.
- Spreading spam among friends and contacts, featuring more phishing links or scam messages.
- Accessing profile information, potentially shared on the dark web or used to create bogus accounts.
- Seizing or deleting Facebook pages.
- Extorting ransom payments to regain access to the page.
- Manipulating the account’s advertising tools to serve the scammers’ goals.
- Hijacking interconnected applications like Instagram or Messenger.
Within days, unauthorized content may flood the account, potentially leading to its disabling by Facebook due to reported suspicious activities. At this point, users have unwittingly surrendered control of their accounts, pages, and personal data by providing their login credentials.
To help you identify if this scam is targeting you, follow these steps:
- Examine the message closely. Is it a genuine notification from Meta? Facebook/Meta typically uses a notification window for critical matters like violations. Have you been tagged in a post? Facebook/Meta doesn’t typically communicate through post tagging.
- Look for signs of bad grammar, typos, incorrect punctuation, or awkward language. These are often indicators of a scam.
- Be cautious if given a deadline, as it implies urgency in taking action or clicking on a link.
- Scrutinize links. Scammers may closely mimic legitimate URLs, but there are often subtle differences. Facebook usually provides button prompts within the Facebook/Meta application for violations.
What to do next to protect yourself:
- Stay calm. Scammers rely on panic-induced actions. Carefully review the message before taking any steps. Is your account still accessible? If so, it’s likely a scam.
- Verify sender details. Genuine Facebook communications come from email addresses ending in “@facebookmail.com” or “@support.facebook.com.” Messages from other domains are likely fraudulent.
- Check for typos and errors. Legitimate Facebook communications typically use proper grammar and spelling. Any deviations should raise suspicion.
- Directly check your account. Log in and confirm the presence of notifications regarding page deactivation issued by Facebook/Meta itself. Contact Meta Business Support through live chat for verification.
- Avoid clicking on links. Instead, access Facebook directly by typing “Facebook.com” into your browser’s address bar.
- Report suspicious messages using Meta’s reporting tools.
- Enhance security by enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account.
- Regularly update passwords for Facebook, email, and other linked accounts to bolster your security.
By staying vigilant and following these steps, you can protect yourself from scams like the “Your Page Has Been Disabled” phishing scam on Facebook.
