from Hacker News

Facebook Customer Service Scam

by FlamingMoe on 2/22/25, 8:08 PM with 1 comments

• by FlamingMoe on 2/22/25, 8:08 PM

  FYI, a friend’s mom was recently scammed, and her Facebook account was taken over. She called what seemed like a legitimate customer support number, but it was actually a scam—something that Facebook’s own system unintentionally made look credible.

  I've included the URL that was used, but I removed the scammer's number. If there’s a good reason to share it, let me know, and I can provide it.

  How the Scam Works: - Exploiting Facebook’s Search: Scammers take advantage of Facebook’s own search results page. When someone searches for customer support, Facebook may return a “No results” page. - Embedding Fake Numbers: Scammers manipulate the URL or search query itself to include a fake support number. Because Facebook displays the search URL, it looks like an official result—even though the number is fake. - Tricking Users into Calling: If someone dials the number, they reach a scammer, not Facebook. Account Takeover & Theft: The scammer may ask for login details, request payment, or gain access to the victim’s account under the guise of “helping.”