New Delhi: Billions of Facebook users in Australia have been warned about a new scam called “Look Who Just Died” which is designed to steal personal information and money by claiming the death of someone they know. The ‘Look Who Just Died’ scam is the latest scheme being used by hackers on social media platforms.
According to the Daily Mail, the scam begins with a direct message from a hacker posing as a friend that says “look who just died” and includes a link to what appears to be a news article. The message may also include words like “so sad” or “I know you know him” to make users think they know the person. To read articles about the alleged death, victims are asked to enter their Facebook username and password.
The fake news links contain malware that allows scammers to steal login information and personal details from Facebook users. The victim is then locked out of their account and taken over by the hacker who sends the same message to their friends list. Furthermore, the report states that scammers can then steal any personal data associated with a Facebook account, such as email addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth, which they can use to break into non-Facebook accounts.
Specifically, hackers can steal a user’s money if the account contains bank details or financial information. While the phishing scam is most commonly seen on Facebook, experts warn that it can also appear in an email or text message, as noted in the report. Experts recommend that users not click on any links in suspicious messages, and when in doubt, talk to a friend to determine if the message is legitimate.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Scamwatch, phishing scams are set to cost Australians more than A$11.5 million in 2023 alone. Meanwhile, a report revealed that every seven minutes, a customer in the UK falls victim to an online shopping scam on one of two Meta-owned platforms, costing consumers more than £500,000 a week it occurs. Research from UK-based Lloyds Banking Group estimates that more than two-thirds of all online shopping scams affecting consumers begin on Facebook and Instagram.