'Look who died' Facebook scam preys on your emotions. How to stay safe

"I can't believe you're gone. I'm going to miss you, R.I.P."

"Look who died!"

Did that get your attention? That was the goal and chances are that a similar post or message on Facebook with zero context means that somebody probably did not die.

In reality, the above statements are the focal point of a phishing scam that is currently circulating Facebook, preying on user's emotions and tricking them into handing over their login information to scammers.

The Facebook scam

If you are an avid scroller of Facebook, you may have seen by now the previously mentioned statements in your Messenger account or on your home page.

If you haven't, the post or message will basically say something along the lines of "Look who died," followed by a short link that one would assume is a link to an obituary or a news article.

Don't click the link!

If you were to click the link, it would most likely open up another page asking you to log into Facebook again. If you follow that prompt the hackers will now know your username and password, gaining control of your Facebook account, and your device will be infected with malware.

Facebook is a perfect place for hackers because so much sensitive data and information is stored on there such as your birthday, where you live, your friends, photos, and even financial information if you have participated in online shopping through Facebook.

When the victim shares their username and password, the hackers now have access to all of that sensitive information.

They can then make the same "look who died" post from your account, exposing your friends and followers to the same trap.

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How to protect yourself

The number one way to protect yourself and others from this scam is by not clicking on the link and reporting the post or message to Facebook.

The Facebook help center advises users to report strange messages or posts to phish@fb.com or through the report links that appear throughout the site.

If you do happen to fall victim to the scammer, there are some things that you can do to protect yourself.

According to the cybersecurity service DataProt, there are a few steps that you can take after falling for the "look who died" message or post, but they need to be taken urgently.

First, check if you are locked out of your account. If you have not been locked out and your password hasn't been changed, quickly go in and change it so the hacker cannot log in.

Even though many people find it annoying, turn on two-factor authentication so you can monitor any login attempts to your account.

Then report the issue to Facebook.

Next, go into your password and security settings and look for the button that says "where you're logged in." Click on that and delete any devices that you do not recognize. You can also check the email addresses that are linked with your account, removing any unknown ones.

Go through any other apps that are connected with your Facebook such as Instagram and do the same thing, changing your password and removing any unknown devices from the account.

Finally, change your email password just to be safe and scan your device with an anti-malware software.

Going forward, always make sure that you have a strong password, do not click on any links or fake login prompts, and make sure that you are using the correct URL when logging into an account. This goes for everything, not just Facebook.

What is phishing?

According to DataProt, phishing is a "form of cybercrime that uses deception to collect sensitive information."

This information can include login information, financial information, social security numbers, and other important data.

The "look who died" Facebook scam is a perfect example of a phishing scam, as a scammer will use the deception that somebody died to pique your interest, play with your emotions, and trick you into handing over the sensitive information.

These scams are not exclusive to Facebook, they can be found all over social media and in suspicious emails.

Another commonly found one on social media is the one where a message will say something along the lines of "Is this you on video?" followed by a link to a fake page that is meant to look like a video link.

Be careful out there

Aside from Facebook phishing scams, there are a ton of different types of scams out there these days whether it be on social media, through fake phone calls, fake lottery or prize winnings, financial scams through PayPal, and more.

Exercise caution and be suspicious of the things you see and receive on the internet. Keep an eye out for foreign area codes, spelling errors, an unnecessary sense of urgency, and random requests for personal information.

Stay safe!

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Facebook scam claiming someone died puts accounts at risk. What to do