‘Considered Ineligible Use’ Facebook Phishing Scam

Outline:
Message purporting  to be from Facebook claims that your account is ‘considered ineligible use’ and will therefore be disabled if you do not click a link to confirm account details within 12 hours.

Brief Analysis:
The message is not from Facebook. In fact, it is just one in a long line of very similar scam messages that are designed to steal your Facebook account login details and other sensitive personal information.

Example:
ATTENTION: Youг account wιll be Dιsabled!
Fαcebook will immediαtely disαble your αccount thαt is considered ineligible use.
Fαcebook does not αllow:
• Pretendιng to be someone else
• Usιng α fαke nαme
• Not represent α reαl person
If you αre the originαl owner of thιs αccount pleαse confirm your αccount below:
[Link removed]If within 12 hours you do not visit our links, we will block your αccount permαnently αs a reαson for not fulfilling the terms of use.
Thanks,
Facebook Ads Team © 2016
415 Depaгtment, PO Box 10005, CA 94303

Detailed Analysis:
According to this message, which claims to be  from the Facebook Ads Team, your account is set to be disabled. Supposedly, you  have engaged in activities that are considered ineligible  use by Facebook. The message explains that Facebook does not allow accounts that pretend to be someone else, use a fake name, or do not represent a real person. It warns that, if you do not visit a link to confirm your account within 12 hours, Facebook will permanently block your account for ‘not fulfilling the terms of use’.

But, the message is certainly not from Facebook and your account will not be disabled as claimed. The message is a phishing scam that is designed  to steal your Facebook account login details and other personal information. In fact, this is just one version in a long series of ‘account disabled’ phishing scams that have  targeted Facebook users for years.

Some of these scams are distributed via email.  Others are delivered via compromised Facebook accounts. Still others  are distributed  as posts or comments on Facebook itself.

If you click the link in one of the messages, you will be taken to a bogus Facebook login box hosted  on a fraudulent website that has been designed to mirror the genuine Facebook home page. After you have ‘logged in’ on the  fake site, you will be taken to  a web form that asks  for your name and contact information and your email address and email password. In some cases, further forms may ask you to supply your credit numbers and ID information such as your driver’s licence or social security numbers.

All of the information you supply will be collected by cybercriminals and used to hijack your Facebook and email accounts. Once they have gained entry, the criminals can use your accounts to perpetrate further spam and scam campaigns. In many cases, they will use the hijacked accounts to directly target your Facebook friends  with versions of the very same scam we are discussing here. If they have managed to extract other personal and financial details from you, they may also commit credit card fraud in your name and possibly even steal your identity.

Be wary of any message that purports to be from Facebook and claims that your account will be disabled if you do not click a link to login and provide account information. Facebook will not send you such a message,  Always login to Facebook by entering the address into your browser’s address bar or via a trusted Facebook app.

Last updated:  May 12, 2016
First published:  May 12, 2016
By Brett M. Christensen
About Hoax-Slayer

References
Facebook 'Misuse Of Your Account' Phishing Scam
'Your Account Will Disable' Facebook Phishing Scam
Phishing Scams – Anti-Phishing Information