Facebook scams: common scams, warning signs, and how to stay safe

Facebook scams use the platform to deceive users by exploiting trust or creating urgency. They’re popular with scammers because the platform has a huge user base and people share a lot of information there. 

So, you’ll find classics like fake Marketplace listings still doing the rounds, but also phishing, impersonation, and AI-generated content. 

Learn more about these common Facebook scams and how to protect yourself.

Facebook scams are fraudulent schemes that use the platform to trick you into sending money, sharing sensitive personal information, or giving attackers access to your account. Put simply, it’s an umbrella term for scams that happen on or through the platform. 

In these scams, bad actors often exploit different Facebook features, including: 

Scammers can take advantage of the way Marketplace lets buyers and sellers connect directly. They may pose as either party, post fake listings, offer deals at unusually low prices, or use fake payment confirmations to make transactions seem legitimate. 

Scammers may use Messenger to contact you directly, often pretending to be your family members, friends, buyers, or sellers. They may then send fake requests or phishing links, ask for money or personal information, or try to move the conversation to another platform. 

Scammers often create Pages that appear to belong to legitimate public figures, businesses, or organizations to make them seem credible. They can then use the Pages to promote fake offers, giveaways, or malicious links, and make the scams seem trustworthy.

Scammers may also create or join communities built around shared interests. This gives them access to a relevant audience, making it easier to push things like fake products, sham job offers, and phony investment opportunities or giveaways.

Between Marketplace, Messenger, Pages, and Groups, scammers have plenty of ways to reach their potential victims. But that’s only part of what keeps Facebook so popular with bad actors. Several other factors also make it a prime hunting ground for cybercriminals:

With so many different Facebook scams out there, it can be easy to mistake other threats for scams. For instance, many confuse Facebook scams and hacks. After all, both can put your account, personal information, and money at risk. 

However, knowing the difference between Facebook scams and Facebook hacks can help you recognize what’s happening and take the right steps to protect yourself. Here’s how they compare:

Scammers can be extremely creative and come up with different versions of Facebook scams. However, many scams still share the same warning signs.

Here are some red flags to keep an eye out for: 

Facebook scams can take many forms and show up almost anywhere on the platform. From bogus Marketplace listings to messages from your supposed soulmate, check out some of the tricks scammers often use so you know what to look out for. 

Marketplace scams are some of the most common Facebook scams because Marketplace connects buyers and sellers directly. That gives scammers plenty of opportunities to target both sides of a deal. 

So, you might see: 

Messenger scams use Facebook’s messaging feature to deceive you. Often, cybercriminals will pretend to be long-lost friends, Facebook support agents, or even celebrities to make their messages seem legitimate.

They may: 

Scammers may also use fake security alerts as part of a phishing scam, pretending to be an authority you recognize and can trust. 

On Facebook, they may set up fake profiles or Pages that look like they represent the platform and claim your account is about to be suspended or has been compromised. The message will then urge you to click a link to verify or recover your account, but the link often leads to a fake Facebook login page built to steal your credentials.

Scammers may also impersonate people you know. There are several variations of this type of scam. 

One is to clone someone’s Facebook profile by copying their name, profile photo, and other personal details. This could be a friend or even a public figure, like a celebrity or politician. The scammer may then send you a friend request or message before asking you to send money for an emergency, receive a payment on their behalf, or invest in an opportunity. 

Businesses are fair game to scammers, too. They may create fake Pages that mimic a legitimate business’s name, logo, and branding, then use them to promote non-existent products, promotions, or giveaways. 

Preying on emotions and connections, romance scams are aplenty on Facebook and other social media platforms. In fact, according to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), nearly 60% of people who reported losing money to a romance scam in 2025 said it started on social media.

Typically, cybercriminals use a fake Facebook profile to get close to you, gaining your trust and affection before hitting you with requests for money. They may claim they need the cash for emergencies, sudden medical expenses, travel costs, or investment opportunities.

If a stranger — or even a supposed “friend” — on Facebook promises that you can turn a small amount of money into a fortune that can last you a lifetime, you’re probably looking at an investment scam.

These scams often promise unrealistically high or guaranteed returns. Sometimes they might even back it up with fake testimonials, screenshots of profits, and endorsements from experts or celebrities. Some scammers go as far as letting you withdraw a small amount first so they can establish credibility and hook you in.

In Facebook giveaway and prize scams, bad actors may create fake contests using the name of a well-known brand or celebrity. They’ll then contact you through DMs or public posts, saying you’ve won.

To claim your prize, they may ask for your personal or payment information. Some may also ask you to pay a processing or shipping fee before you can receive your prize. Needless to say, once you’ve paid, they vanish, and you never get your prize. 

With AI tools becoming more accessible, scammers are also stepping up their game and using these tools to make their Facebook scams more convincing. 

Here are some ways Facebook scammers use AI: 

If you’ve fallen for a Facebook scam, take a breather and don’t panic just yet. Instead, focus on what you can do to minimize the damage. Here’s where to start:

First things first, stop all communication with the scammer. Don’t reply to their messages, click any further links, open attachments, or follow any instructions they send. Cut them out cold and block where necessary.

If you’ve already sent money, chances are the scammer will invent another problem that supposedly requires an additional payment. Don’t cave, even if they claim you need to pay a deposit to release a package, a registration fee to claim your prize, or tax to withdraw your investment. 

If you shared your Facebook password with the scammer or entered it somewhere suspicious, change your password immediately. 

Here’s how: 

If you’ve used the same password for other accounts, be sure to change those too. The scammer may try your Facebook login details on your other accounts in a credential stuffing attack. 

Turn on MFA (Multi-factor Authentication) for your Facebook account. This security safeguard adds another verification step when someone tries to log in. So, even if the scammer has your password, it alone isn’t enough to get into your account. 

Whether it’s a scam profile, post, message, Marketplace listing, or Page, report it to Facebook immediately. Before you do, take screenshots of the scam and any important messages. You may need them later as evidence.  

Visit this Facebook help page, select the option that matches what you want to report, and follow the instructions.  

Go through the devices currently signed in to your Facebook account and look for anything you don’t recognize. If the scammer got into your account, they may still have access even if you’ve already changed your password. 

Follow these steps:

Get in touch with your bank or payment provider as soon as possible if you’ve sent money to the scammer. Tell them what happened and give them the details of the transaction.

Depending on how you paid and how quickly you report the scam, they may be able to stop, reverse, or dispute the payment. If you shared your card or banking details, they can also help freeze your card or account to prevent further unauthorized transactions. 

You can’t completely stop Facebook scammers from trying their tricks, but you can make it a lot harder for them to succeed. Here’s how you can protect yourself from Facebook scams. 

A message isn’t necessarily safe just because it appears to come from someone you know or an account that looks legitimate. Always check the sender’s profile and look out for anything that seems odd or unusual in the message. If you can, verify with the person through another channel before you jump into action. 

Be especially cautious if the message:

If you’re buying or selling through Marketplace, make sure to keep all your payments within Facebook. Be on guard if the other party asks you to pay through another platform, moves the transaction to an unfamiliar portal, sends you a suspicious payment link, or pressures you to send money immediately to secure the deal. 

If you haven’t already, make sure to set up 2FA (Two-factor Authentication) for your Facebook account. It adds another layer of protection by requiring an additional verification step when someone tries to log in.

This is how you set it up:

Use a strong, unique password for your Facebook account, and avoid reusing one from another platform or service. This way, even if the other account is breached and your password is exposed, bad actors can’t use the same credentials to access your Facebook. 

Ideally, your password should be long and difficult to guess, with a random mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

According to Surfshark’s research on phishing, it remains one of the most common cybercrime methods — with over 800 victims per day — out there. Facebook is no exception.

So, exercise caution when clicking links in Facebook posts, comments, messages, or ads. Before you click anything, check where the link leads and hit the brakes if something doesn’t seem right. When in doubt, always double-check with the person or business involved through an official channel.  

Sometimes, all it takes for a successful Facebook scam is a careless click. This is where blocking known scam and phishing sites can help. 

Consider using Surfshark’s scam protection to:

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) like Surfshark can add a valuable extra layer of security, though it doesn’t directly prevent Facebook scams. Surfshark VPN encrypts your connection, making it harder for anyone to intercept data such as your login credentials — especially on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.

A VPN can also mask your IP (Internet Protocol) address. This is helpful because your IP address can reveal your approximate location, which Facebook scammers may sometimes use to target you. For example, knowing your general area could help a scammer make a fake Marketplace listing look more convincing.

Facebook scammers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, their tactics will only keep evolving. But while the methods may change, many still rely on the same old playbook — creating urgency, exploiting trust, or pretending to be someone they’re not. 

Knowing how these scams work is still your best defense, as it can help you spot one before you fall for it. Stay cautious with unexpected requests, suspicious links, and offers that seem too good to be true. Make sure to also strengthen your defenses with 2FA and tools like a VPN for Facebook to add another layer of security and privacy.