Key Takeaways:
- Fake profiles often add you by sending friend requests to an entire list of users, specifically targeting highly-accepting users who are more likely to accept requests from an unknown person.
- They may try to mimic real accounts by appearing as a profile with friends and showcasing activities from people to enhance the authenticity of profiles, but are typically obvious scam profiles upon closer inspection.
- The main goal of these fake accounts is financial gain; they might send you a malicious link to compromise your personal information, exploiting the trust established through the perceived authenticity of their profiles.
We’ve all been there—you’re scrolling through Facebook, checking in on your friends’ latest photos or updates, and then you notice it. A random friend request.
You don’t recognise the name, the profile picture seems a little too perfect (maybe a stock image), and the account was created just last week. Naturally, you wonder, “Why on earth do fake profiles keep adding me on Facebook?”
This has become an increasingly common phenomenon, and it’s not just you who is being targeted. Fake profiles on Facebook have become rampant, but what’s the deal? Why are these accounts trying to befriend you? This article will give you a useful insight into the core topic and answer your queries.
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The Surge of Fake Profiles on Facebook
Facebook presently has 3.065 billion monthly active users (MAUs), according to Meta’s most recent investor report. But with such size comes a vulnerability to exploitation.
In fact, Facebook itself reported that in the first quarter of 2023, they removed over 426 million fake accounts. That’s a huge number!
In 2023, Facebook estimated that 5% of its monthly users are fake accounts. In 2021, it had about 2.85 billion users. This means roughly 142.5 million accounts were fake.
Facebook has fought against fake accounts for years. In 2018, it revealed the removal of 1.3 billion such accounts from October 2017 to March 2018.
Despite these efforts, the problem persists, indicating the persistent and evolving nature of those creating fake profiles.
These fake accounts can be generated by bots, spammers, or even real individuals seeking anonymity to engage in illicit activities. They serve various purposes, including running scams, committing identity theft, or harvesting personal information.
The prevalence of fake profiles has become a troubling aspect of the online shere, affecting user experience and trust.
Whether it’s to scam unsuspecting users, spread misinformation, or collect data for financial gain, these fake profiles often target individuals indiscriminately, exploiting the vast network of users to maximise their impact.
Types of Fake Profiles: An Illustration
To better comprehend why these profiles are adding you, let’s first break down the most common types of fake accounts:
| Type of Fake Profile | Main Goal | How They Operate |
|---|---|---|
| Phishing Bots | Steal personal information or passwords | Send friend requests and attempt to message you for info |
| Romance Scammers | Build emotional connection for financial scams | Develop trust, then request money or gifts |
| Marketing Spammers | Promote fake or low-quality products, gather data | Send spam messages, join groups, or post on your wall |
| Misinformation Agents | Spread fake news or manipulate opinions | Post sensational articles or fake political content |
| Engagement Boosters | Inflate likes, comments, and shares for certain pages or profiles | Send friend requests and interact with your content |
| Impersonators | Pretend to be someone else, possibly to scam others using your identity | Clone accounts, steal photos, and send requests to friends |
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Why Do Fake Profiles Add You on Facebook?
Phishing for Personal Information
At the core of many fake profiles lies the desire to gather your personal information. Phishing scams typically involve deceptive individuals (or bots) pretending to be someone they’re not in order to steal your sensitive data. Your name, birthdate, location, and even your friends list can be valuable information to scammers looking to:
- Steal your identity for financial fraud
- Hack into your other online accounts
- Sell your information to third-party advertisers or malicious entities
Phishing attacks have become sophisticated, and they don’t always look like blatant requests for your credit card info. It might start innocently—maybe they comment on your photos or like your posts to build a rapport before eventually trying to extract sensitive information.
Pro Tip: Always be wary of new friend requests from accounts with limited information or recent activity. Review their profile carefully and report suspicious activity immediately.
Catfishing and Romance Scams
Not all fake profiles are bots. Some of these are crafted by people engaging in catfishing—a deceptive activity where someone pretends to be someone else online. These fake Facebook profiles may seem friendly or even flirty, trying to build trust with you over time.
Catfishing is often used to create emotional connections with victims, leading them into scams where they are manipulated into sending money or revealing sensitive information. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), victims of romance scams reported losing $1.3 billion in 2022 alone. That’s right, these scammer profiles don’t just want to be your friend—they want to rob you blind!
Red Flags of Romance Scammers:
- Profiles with few friends or none at all.
- Glamorous photos, often stolen from other places.
- They try to move the conversation off Facebook quickly (onto WhatsApp, for example).
- They avoid meeting in person or making video calls.
- They make grand promises but need financial help to make those promises happen.
Promoting Fraudulent Links or Products
Another common reason why fake profiles add you is to promote fraudulent products, services, or websites. These online profiles may send you links to external websites that claim to offer amazing deals, free products, or investment opportunities.
Once you click on these links, you may be asked to enter your credit card information or download a file that installs malware on your device.
These schemes are sometimes less obvious than the blatant spam messages we’re used to. Instead of offering you a Nigerian prince’s fortune, they may masquerade as a legitimate-looking business or influencer offering a giveaway. Once you accept their friend request, they can spam you with posts promoting their scams.
Types of Scams Often Promoted by Fake Profiles:
- Fake giveaways or contests: “Like and share for a chance to win an iPhone!”
- Phishing websites: Sites that steal your login credentials or financial information.
- Pyramid schemes or fake investment opportunities: “Turn $100 into $10,000 in just a week!”
Boosting Likes and Engagement on Other Pages
It may surprise you to learn that some fraudulent profiles are created not for malicious purposes, but to artificially boost the engagement on other Facebook pages or posts.
How does this work? A shady business or influencer might pay for a bot farm to create thousands of fake accounts, which then flood Facebook by adding random users, liking pages, or commenting on posts to inflate engagement metrics. This kind of fake interaction can make a product or page look more popular than it actually is, tricking legitimate users into thinking that it’s worth their time.
While these fake accounts may not be trying to scam you directly, they’re still cluttering your friend list and contributing to the overall degradation of your social media experience.
Spreading Misinformation and Political Propaganda
In recent years, social media platforms, including Facebook, have become breeding grounds for the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and political propaganda. Fake profiles are often used as part of coordinated campaigns to manipulate public opinion.
These accounts may share false news articles, conspiracy theories, or inflammatory posts designed to stir up conflict. In some cases, entire networks of fake profiles are created to make a particular movement or ideology appear more popular than it is.
These profiles are part of what experts call “influence operations,” and they work by posing as regular citizens who post inflammatory or misleading content. The more users engage with this type of content, the more it spreads, allowing false information to reach a larger audience.
While you may think a fake profile is just annoying, it can actually play a part in larger, more insidious operations aimed at disrupting society.
Illustration: Meta has shut down a network of fake Facebook accounts aimed at polarising voters before the 2024 elections. These accounts engaged in coordinated inauthentic behavior, spreading disinformation to manipulate public opinion.
Attempting to Hack Your Account
Believe it or not, some fake profiles are created with the sole purpose of hacking your account. After befriending you, they might try to exploit weaknesses in your Facebook settings, use social engineering tactics, or even get you to share your password without realising it.
They may message you asking for a code or link that’s “accidentally” been sent to your phone or email—this is a trick to get access to your account or reset your password. Once they’re in, they can use your account to impersonate you, scam your friends, or access any linked apps or services.
Telltale Signs of a Hacking Attempt:
- Unusual messages asking for passwords or verification codes.
- Requests for personal information that Facebook never asks for.
- Links that seem suspicious or out of context.
Gathering Data for Marketing Purposes
Not all fake profiles are out to scam you. Some are simply gathering data for marketing purposes. These profiles can be created by companies or marketers who want to learn more about your interests, purchasing habits, and personal details.
Once they’ve built a list of users who accepted their friend requests, they can start sending targeted ads, messages, or promotions. Although this might seem harmless at first, it’s still a violation of your privacy—and no one likes spam!
How to Spot a Fake Profile: A Handy Checklist
Spotting fake profiles can be tricky, but here are some common signs to look out for:
| Sign | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Profile picture looks too perfect | Often stolen images or stock photos |
| Few friends, or mostly foreign ones | Fake profiles often have fewer friends or random global connections |
| Created recently | Fake accounts are often new and have minimal content |
| No real posts or personal content | If the account has no real updates, photos, or interactions, it’s likely fake |
| Suspicious messages | Messages that ask for money, information, or include weird links |
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What to Do When You Get a Fake Friend Request?
Don’t Accept It Right Away (Or At All!)
The first and most important thing is to avoid clicking “Accept.” If you don’t recognise the person, don’t accept the friends request—simple as that. Even if they look vaguely familiar or have mutual friends, it’s wise to be cautious. Many fake profiles exploit the mutual friend tactic to seem legitimate.
Investigate the Profile
Sometimes, you need a little more information before deciding what to do. Here’s how to vet the profile:
- Check their activity. Fake accounts usually have a low number of posts (if any), and often they’re copied from other users.
- If they have hundreds of friends but none that you know, it’s a red flag. Conversely, some fake profiles will have a very small number of friends (or none at all).
- If the account was created recently and has very little content, it’s a clear sign something is wrong.
Pro Tip: If the profile only has one or two photos, a suspiciously polished profile photo (like a model or celebrity photo), or very generic information, you’re probably dealing with a fake.
Block the Account
If you’re convinced the account is fake, the best course of action is to block it. This not only prevents the account from sending you any more requests or messages, but it also stops them from seeing any of your public posts in the future.
Report the Profile to Facebook
To help improve the overall Fb experience, report fake Facebook profiles when you encounter them. This helps Facebook identify patterns in fraudulent activity and take down these accounts more effectively.
Facebook will review the account, and if they find it violates their policies, they’ll take it down. By reporting, you’re helping protect other users from being targeted by the same scam.
Stay Cautious with Messages
Even if you don’t accept a friend request, some fake profiles may still message you via Facebook Messenger. If you receive a suspicious message from someone you’re not connected with, avoid clicking on any links or downloading attachments. They could contain malware or be phishing attempts designed to trick you into revealing personal information.
How to Enhance Your Facebook Security?
Now that you know why fake profiles might be adding you, it’s time to arm yourself with the knowledge to stop them from intruding into your Facebook world. Here are some key steps to take:
Lock Down Your Privacy Settings
First and foremost, review your Facebook privacy settings. Limit who can send you friend requests (you can restrict it to “Friends of Friends”) and control what personal information is visible to others. Ensure that sensitive data like your birthday, contact information, and location are private.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to your account. Even if a scammer manages to get hold of your password, they won’t be able to access your account without the secondary verification method, typically a code sent to your phone.
Stay Aware of Scams and Trends
Scammers are always coming up with new ways to trick real people, so stay updated on the latest trends in social media scams. Follow trusted sources that report on online security to ensure you’re one step ahead of the bad actors.
What’s Next?
Fake profiles add you on Facebook to inflate their user count and pursue malicious activities like scamming or spamming message users. These fake users often send random requests to unsuspecting people, hoping to gain access to personal information or spread malware.
They may present themselves as unknown persons or attractive persons with generic posts or irrelevant posts to appear as a real profile. Request notifications from such profiles can be deceptive, especially when profile image and profile angle scammers use tactics designed to mimic someone familiar.
Types of people targeted include those more likely to accept a message request from an attractive or seemingly connected individual. It’s essential to stay vigilant and critically assess every friend request you receive.
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FAQs
Why would someone create a fake Facebook profile of me?
Someone might create a fake Facebook profile of you to impersonate you for malicious purposes such as identity theft, scamming your friends, or damaging your reputation.
They may use your photos and personal information to make the profile seem authentic. This can lead to misleading others or gaining unauthorised access to personal networks. It’s important to report such profiles to Facebook to have them removed promptly.
Why are fake profiles liking my Facebook posts?
Fake profiles may like your Facebook posts to appear legitimate and avoid detection by Facebook’s security algorithms.
By interacting with real users’ content, these fake accounts aim to blend in while they engage in activities like spamming or phishing. Sometimes, they do this to encourage you to visit their profiles, where they might share malicious links or further deceptive content targeting unsuspecting users.
How to stop getting spam friend requests on FB?
To reduce spam friend requests on Facebook, adjust your privacy settings by limiting who can send you friend requests—set it to “Friends of Friends.”
Be cautious about accepting requests from unknown persons or profiles with few friends and generic information.
Regularly review and delete suspicious request notifications. Reporting spam accounts helps Facebook identify and remove them, improving the overall experience for all users.
How common are fake Facebook profiles?
Fake Facebook profiles are quite common. Facebook estimates that around 5% of its monthly active users are fake accounts, which translates to millions of profiles. These accounts are often created for spamming, scamming, or spreading misinformation.
Despite Facebook’s efforts to detect and remove them, new fake profiles are continually created, so users should remain vigilant about the authenticity of profiles they interact with.
What is it called when someone makes a fake profile of you?
When someone creates a fake profile of you, it’s called impersonation or identity theft. This act involves using your name, photos, or personal information without your consent to deceive others.
Impersonation violates Facebook’s community standards and can have legal implications. It’s important to report such profiles to Facebook immediately to protect your personal identity and prevent potential harm to you and others.
How can I remove fake likes from my Facebook page?
To remove fake likes from your Facebook page, navigate to your page’s settings and access the “People and Other Pages” section. Review the list of followers and identify any obvious scam profiles or accounts with suspicious activity.
You can then remove or ban these profiles from your page. Regularly monitoring and cleaning up your follower list helps maintain genuine engagement and protects your page’s integrity.
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