This is fake, right?

Blulu

Thanks @HoneyBooBoo_2 you definitely are a honey 🙂

@EnglishWelshie it's so interesting to compare though. I don't get the same options that you get in reporting - but it leads to the same thing.

With another hat on, I sometimes attend meetings with the local police (I'm on the right side of the law - honestly 😁). At some point, I'm going to raise it with them and see if I can't get some sort of official suggestion as what is the best system to try to stop others falling prey to those...B...B...B...little dears!!!

Might be a while, but at some point, I'll post in CCC with whatever they suggest. I mean, it's obviously relevant to compers using social media, as well as to other SM users.

Thanks for your input.

Blu XXX

mjm3346

The National Cyber Security Centre has guidelines on using social media and setting up your privacy settings

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/social-media-how-to-use-it-safely

and their reporting guidelines

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams

Why you should report phishing scams

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is a UK government organisation that has the power to investigate and take down scam email addresses and websites.

Reporting a scam is free and only takes a minute. By reporting phishing attempts, you can:

• reduce the amount of scam communications you receive
• make yourself a harder target for scammers
• protect others from cyber crime online

As of September 2023 the number of reports received stands at more than:

24 m reported scams

Which has resulted in:

146 k scams being removed across 268,300 URLs

Blulu

I checked on The National Cyber Security Centre website, but none of the reporting options relate to reporting Facebook. The closest is 'reporting a website', but that isn't the same as reporting someone posting on Facebook/a website. So I have messaged them to ask.

I also attended a meeting a couple of days ago with crime prevention workers and police there. I asked about this at the meeting and it led to quite an interesting discussion. A couple of suggestions were reporting to Crimestoppers and to Action Fraud. I have tried Action Fraud but, as I explained there, it takes too long. What is needed is some simple reporting system. I haven't tried Crimestoppers for this yet, but I will the next time - it won't be long.

The upshot is I might have landed an invite to an Action Fraud meeting, to raise it there - depending where it's being held, cos I'm like a fine wine - I don't travel well.

The important thing is, this isn't about self-protection, this about trying to intervene to protect others.

And in case it needs saying, it's relevant to us because compers are especially susceptible to scam attempts, as we all know. If we can find (or encourage an existing organisation to implement) a simple reporting system, it will be to the benefit of compers as well as to other potential victims.

Blu XXX

mjm3346

Martin Lewis settled out of court in 2019 for scam ads featuring his image that appeared in ads on FB, the settlement included a£3,000,000 charity donation and 
"Facebook will launch within months a new scam ads reporting tool, unique to the UK, and a dedicated team to handle these complaints."

My experience reporting when I used to use FB more often is that reporting through FB is very hit and miss with action being taken in only a small number of the cases

Martin posted on FB about an hour ago (while about scam ads it also is online harms) 

SCAM ADS UPDATE: Just had a good meeting with senior folk at Ofcom which has just been given powers to regulate big tech over online harms.  

Pleased to say its on it. I was impressed by the passion and what it plans to do. Yet frustratingly, it's important to manage timing expectations.  

While it has already speedily published the illegal harms (incl deep fakes) blueprint, the legally obliged timetable means it'll be at least 12-18mths before there are meaty enforcement powers and 12mths more before the same for general scam ads.

Meanwhile, it has launched supervision teams for the big platforms (it won't say who, but it's pretty obvious) to gather info, and oversight. 

The hope is with enforcement powers coming, scam ad behaviour will gradually improve, but I suspect some firms will wait to change their processes until the last minute. Of course we'll try and put as much pressure on for action while we can.

In the meantime, if you see a scam, the best option is to report it to platforms and cross your fingers they do the right thing.

https://www.facebook.com/mrmartinlewis/posts/pfbid0n8hsJgyUhK4em5n6KnVYpLsZJ85gVXDMHrLqxuN5AqTDisvfYoB6v2RJ8aJixV2ul

Blulu

So, after a bit of friendly dialogue with NCSC, I got this:

"Thank you for providing the suggestion.

It has been forwarded to the relevant team for their consideration.

Facebook has a reporting mechanism accessed via its Help Centre: https://www.facebook.com/help/1295340050874305/?helpref=related_articles 

Please do not hesitate to get back in contact if you have anything further.

Kind regards,

[NAME]

NCSC Enquiries"

I replied to say that I've used that FB link before, but it's for reporting Marketplace scams, not ordinary FB page ones. I'm not counting on anything happening from this, but it's a start. I don't give up very easily when it's something important to me.

Blu XXX

annat

Hi all
I also get a humongous number of them and always report as false information then something else on next tab? Not sure, is there a better way?

Also would be really interested in what happens with instagram and facebook. Twitter/X has a weird number of people just following? Not sure why? Once I notice them, I block them