Beware the ‘My Profile Stalkers’ Facebook Scam

A post currently appearing on Facebook claims that you can check who your profile stalkers are by clicking a link.

The message features a list of people that have supposedly been stalking the person who posted it along with the number of times they have viewed the person’s profile. It suggests that you follow a link in the comments to see your own “stalkers”.

Here’s what the post looks like.

The Post is Fraudulent

However, the post is a scam. If you click the link you will be taken to a website that supposedly shows a list of your top stalkers. The list will be obscured by a “Facebook Human Verification” popup that claims you must complete an offer before you can see your list of stalkers.

Scam Tricks People into Visiting Scam Websites and Installing RogueApps

The links in the popup open dodgy survey websites that offer the chance to win various prizes in exchange for completing surveys and providing your name, address, and contact details. But, if you do provide your information, it will be shared with site sponsors and third-party marketing companies.

So, soon after participating, you will be inundated with phone calls, text messages, emails, and letters that try to persuade you to buy a range of products and services that you no doubt neither want nor need.

You may also be tricked into installing a rogue Facebook app that will spam your friends with the same fraudulent post. Since the posts come from your account, your friends may believe that you are recommending the app and click the link as well. In this way, such scams can spread rapidly across Facebook.

Meanwhile, the scammers who created the fake stalker post and website will earn commissions every time somebody provides details on one of the survey sites.

And, no matter how many surveys you complete, you will never get to see your list of stalkers. There is no legitimate profile viewer or stalker app.

The Facebook Help Center includes the following question and answer :

Can I know who’s looking at my Timeline or how often it’s being viewed?

No. Facebook doesn’t let you track who views your profile or your posts (ex: your photos). Third-party apps are also unable to do this.

If you come across an app that says it can show you who’s viewing your profile or posts, please report the app.

Profile viewer scams like this one are very common on Facebook. Be wary of any post that claims that you can see who has been viewing or stalking your profile.