'Is this a video of you?': FBI issues Facebook Messenger scam warning
Scammers have been hijacking instant messaging accounts and attempting to defraud people by making them click on a malicious link.
Thursday 9 August 2018 17:12, UK
The FBI has published a warning about a scam targeting people on Facebook Messenger.
The messages contain a link which could steal a user's login credentials by taking them to another website which appears to be the Facebook login page, when in fact it is controlled by a fraudster.
Other forms of the scam, which is not unique to Facebook, could redirect users to a page that automatically harvests their login credentials.
The warning came from , and was changed following publication to describe a generic instant messaging platform.
Although the personal example from an FBI staff member referenced Facebook Messenger, these issues are prevalent on multiple messaging platforms and users should beware that scammers are active on almost all of them.
The FBI staff member said they were contacted by a friend on Facebook Messenger, and explained: "The message included a video link and read: 'Hey I saw this video. Isn't this you?'
"I was suspicious, so I didn't click on the link.
"The next day he contacted me outside of the app and said that fraudsters had hacked his account and to not click on any of the links that were sent because they contained a computer virus."
Warning the public, the FBI said: "The best way to spot and avoid these scams is to avoid clicking on any links that you receive from friends or family until you contact the sender outside of app to verify that he was the one who really sent the message.
"If you are concerned about the legitimacy of a particular account, report it through Facebook."
Sky News has contacted Facebook for comment.