Facebook and Instagram users warned over NEW scam that will hack you in seconds

FALSE promises of blue ticks and verifications on social media are seeing people get scammed and hacked in seconds, experts have warned.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even TikTok users are being warned about the scams that promise to verify your account but actually steal money or personal information.

AFP – GettyYou should never have to pay for a blue tick[/caption]

According to CNET, one scam claiming to be from a Turkish social media consultant told users: “Your account has been followed for 30 days, and it has been determined that you are eligible to receive the TikTok Blue Badge.”

His website then asked for your password, address and phone number to get verification.

The consultant was said to be called Enver Ceylan and TikTok later confirmed to CNET that his verification form was fake.

Lots of scammers are said to be trying to take advantage of the common desire for a blue tick and the status that comes with it.

They may private message you on a social media platform and send you a fake form.

Some even ask for money and try and take extortionate fees.

“You could even lose your account permanently”

According to CNET, Jon Clay, vice president of threat intelligence at Trend Micro, said his company has seen verification scams in around 70 countries.

The publication’s investigation also found an Instagram account called marion_digital trying to charge $2,200 for verification and 100,000 followers.

The account later confirmed that it can’t guarantee verification.

If you don’t obtain verification through the official channels on Instagram and Facebook then you’re breaking the rules of the social networks.

You could even lose your account permanently.

To try and stay safe, it’s best to be wary of any verification offers that seem too good to be true and don’t come from official sources.

Never give away personal details or money to strangers in your direct messages.

How to get verified on Twitter

To get a blue tick, Twitter says your account “must be be authentic, notable, and active”.

If you think your account is all three of those things then you can request verification.

First, make sure your profile is up to date and active.

This includes adding a profile picture, cover photo, your name, any relevant website links and a bio.

Then, verify your phone number and email address.

Make sure your tweets are set to public.

Once all this is done, go to our Settings, then click ‘Your account’ and then you should see a section called ‘Verified’.

Here you can click ‘Request verification’.

When you start the process you’ll be asked ‘who you are’, which could be a journalist, brand, influencer, activist or more.

Twitter basically wants to know why you account should be considered of interest to the public.

You’ll then need to give evidence proving that your account is what you claim it to be.

To get a blue tick on a personal profile you’ll need photo ID like a passport.

Twitter’s decision can seem a bit subjective at times but if you fail to get a blue tick the first time you can try again in 30 days.

AFP or licensorsVerification on Facebook requires you to be a celebrity, public figure or person of public interest[/caption]

In other news, Microsoft has released fixes for at least 116 Windows security flaws and users are advised to update immediately.

Nine apps have had to be removed from the Google Play Store after they were caught stealing Facebook passwords.

And, if you have an iPhone that’s older than the iPhone X you’ll miss out on some of the new iOS 15 features.

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