Preventing Hackers and Other Problems

Hackers are becoming an increasing nuisance on social media sites, especially Facebook. I don't understand all their motives, although I've had some invite me and my friends into some plan that is supposed to send a lot of money our way but will really only line their pockets. Over time, I've been fairly successful in limiting their activities on my pages.

If you recognize a new friend request as coming from a friend or acquaintance, don't automatically accept their friend request. Hackers often copy people you're already friends with, especially if you have many, so check to see. If there's another account that you are friends with them on, chances are this one's a fraud; and you can always message the older one to be sure. Next, check to see how long this account has been open on Facebook or how many friends the person has. Most hackers use new accounts, and you want to be wary of those. 

I have also learned to be more cautious of people living in third world countries. I find this very regrettable, but experience has taught me they often have ulterior motives. Many of them keep asking for money (for a good cause, of course). Others take liberties because they are almost anonymous. I even had one young man expose himself in a photo. I quickly unfriended and blocked him and his friends. If all of us are more cautious, perhaps the time and effort to hack accounts will prove futile, and hackers will become few and far between. One can hope.

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