New scam on Facebook ... There is now "Pirates" who copy your profile
picture and asks for friendship in your name with a new account. Do not
accept any requests in my name since this is my only account ... Thanks to
all ... Copy this post to the wall ... Recommended to all your contacts
Origins: Warnings about Facebook "pirates" who copy other users' profiles were circulating widely on that social media site in December 2012.
It is true in a general sense that some scammers have engaged in Facebook cloning, a process in which the scammer creates a new Facebook account using a profile picture and similar name taken from an existing user, then sends out friend requests which appear to originate from that user. (The requests often claim that the sender has just set up a new Facebook account or was locked out of his previous account.) The end purpose of such scams varies: it may be to send Facebook users links to malicious websites that propagate malware, to perpetrate phishing schemes, or to collect personal information from users that can be used for identity theft.
However, contrary to the example text reproduced above, Facebook cloning is not a "new scam," nor is there any evidence that its occurrence has increased greatly in recent days.
In general, Facebook users should always be cautious with friend requests: attempt to verify their validity before accepting them, be wary of additional requests from persons you have already befriended, and take care about what information you share with friends on Facebook.
