Facebook is not targeting you, scammers are

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)-- Scammers have found another way to take advantage of avid Facebook users.

Chris Babin with the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana says scammers are sending emails to Facebook users accusing them of making a post that breaks Facebook community guide lines. The email gives users 24 hours to make an appeal or their account will be deleted. It also includes a link to an appeal form that asks for the account's login credentials.

"The first thing the scammer is going to do is change the password to where you can no longer get into the account. Then, that's where you have problems. You have to deal with Facebook and Instagram directly: try to recover your account and we've just had reports from people that it's such a hassle to do that, they just end up having to create a new account," Babin said.

Once the scammer has taken over your account, they will look through your profile and messages for any information about you that can help them access other accounts.

Here are some tips on how to avoid Facebook phishing scams:

• Don't panic. Always read suspicious emails carefully.
• Verify the claims. Log into your facebook account directly to verify there is a problem before deciding how to proceed.
• Even if you think an alert is authentic, use your social media app to log in or enter the URL in the browser bar. Do not click the link.
• Guard your login credentials carefully. Never enter your login information on a third-party website or a page other than the official Facebook website.
• If you entered your login credentials into a fake form, change your password immediately.

If you have a scam you'd like me to investigate, feel free to send me an email at smasters@klfy.com.