Scammed Facebook users could lose insurance claims because they post too much information online (2024)


  • Insurers set to clamp down on 'grossly negligent' social media use that give crooks an easy ride
  • Facebook users post an 'alarming' amount of personal information online
  • A simple 'check-in' at the airport could mean refused claims if your home gets burgled

By Paul Bentley for the Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

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Facebook users face losing claims against banks and insurance companies because they are inviting fraudsters to scam them by posting so much personal information online.

Anyone burgled after advertising holiday plans on social networks, or scammed after inadvertently leaving clues about their accounts or passwords online, could find they are left completely out of pocket.

The crackdown is said to be ‘inevitable’ after experts warned that hackers are finding it easier than ever to commit identity fraud and predict it will start happening within a year.

Scammed Facebook users could lose insurance claims because they post too much information online (1)

Off to Thailand!: But posts about holiday plans may mean rejected insurance claims if the user falls prey to burglars.

Simply posting a picture of your car, or details about which phone network you use, is now enough for many scammers to be able to hack your computer and steal your bank details within minutes, they said.

One example given included a man who faced losing thousands after a picture of his new car posted online gave scammers enough detail to trick him into opening an email, which appeared to be from the DVLA.

With online fraud costing banks and insurance companies billions every year, they are expected to start taking into account the streams of information willingly publicised by people on the websites when analysing claims within the next year.

Alessandra Quartucci, head of saving at confused.com, said: ‘At the moment banks do not check a claimant’s personal social network information.

'However, we wouldn’t be surprised in the future if this did change as people are making this information more and more accessible.

‘The words and images you post on the internet can be viewed by hundreds, even thousands, of people and sharing too much information on social networking sites can be a financial disaster.

‘It is the debit and credit card owner’s responsibility to make sure their cards are kept in a safe and secure place, and telling everyone you’re not home does not make your house a safe place.’

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The major high street banks currently deal with fraud claims on a ‘case by case’ basis. While they do not routinely check social networking sites, if something posted online could be considered ‘grossly negligent’ it would be considered and could leave the customer completely liable to cover the cost of what they have had stolen.

Experts say the problem is one the banks will ‘inevitably’ come down on more seriously because it is now so straightforward for hackers to use details posted online to create full profiles of internet users.

Oliver Crofton, director of online security company Vigilante Bespoke said this likely to start happening within the next year.

‘Hackers now use a more targeted approach, digging deeper and using social media,’ he said.

‘People put an alarming amount of personal information on different sites and everything you update, you broadcast to the world.

‘This is costing the banking industry so much at the moment that it is an inevitable development that they will get stricter.

‘If you get burgled and you had 'checked in' at Heathrow a few days before on Facebook, insurance companies will make it hard for you to claim your money back.

‘One friend of mine recently updated his status to say he was annoyed with his phone network. A hacker could easily use that information to then get hold of your email address and send an email which looks official saying, “we’re sorry you have had a bad experience, please click on this link for some money back''.'

In a shocking example given by Mr Crofton, who carried out an investigation into online security for Men’s Health, one man faced losing thousands because he posted a picture of his new car on Facebook.

Using the number plate and tax disc information visible on the photograph, together with an email address the person had posted on a LinkedIn profile and a home address found on an official website, hackers were able to send the man an official-looking document, which appeared to be from the DVLA asking him to renew his tax disc.

When he clicked on a link provided in the email, the victim’s computer was infected with a virus which allowed the hackers to monitor everything he typed on his computer, including bank details and passwords.

Scammed Facebook users could lose insurance claims because they post too much information online (4)

Fraudsters could get hold of your bank details from something as simple as clicking a link.

A report last year by the Cabinet Office’s Office of Cybersecurity and Information Assurance found that cybercrime costs the UK economy £27billion a year.

As a result, insurance companies said in the future claims could be rejected if customers had been ‘reckless’ with information they posted online. One admits it would consider rejecting applications outright from celebrities who write about their personal lives on Twitter because they are making themselves so vulnerable to being targeted.

‘We look at each individual who comes to us for insurance on their own merit and lifestyle naturally plays a part in this,’ a spokeswoman for insurers Hiscox said.

‘For example, if a high profile personality chooses to promote their lives, holidays and new purchases in the public arena, that’s their choice but we may choose not to offer them cover.’

Research has found that thousands of people who use social networking sites regularly leave themselves open to their homes being raided. There are now 30million users of Facebook in the UK and more than 10million using Twitter.

A survey of 3,000 from The Co-operative Insurance found 36 per cent of people who use the sites update friends on their whereabouts, while 35 per cent publicise events such as holidays, potentially alerting criminals to when their home will be empty.

Lee Mooney, Head of Home Insurance at The Co-operative, added: ‘We could envisage a future where claims could be rejected if it was discovered that someone had been reckless with information they’d posted on a social networking site.

‘You have to ask yourself: “Would I be happy to divulge this information normally?” If not, you shouldn’t make people aware of it online.’

Gareth Kloet, head of home insurance at confused.com, added: ‘It is possible that insurers could seek to access that information in the future. Something like ‘places’ and ‘tagging’ on Facebook broadcasts people’s locations on a platform which has millions of users and insurers could easily access such information.

‘Some people may openly advertise if their house hasn’t been adequately secured and this openly acts as a record which insurers may use when looking at a customer’s claim.

‘In the future we may see insurers declining claims if they believe the customer was negligent. Home security doesn’t mean just physical locks.’

Scammed Facebook users could lose insurance claims because they post too much information online (2024)

FAQs

Can you call the police if you get scammed on Facebook marketplace? ›

Yes, this is a big scam going around and you would need to file a police report or contact the FBI and hope you can catch these people. You can also contact offer up and see if they can help to locate the scammer so they can be caught and prosecuted and have to repay your money.

Can you get your money back if you ve been scammed on Facebook marketplace? ›

Yes, you can potentially get a refund after being scammed on PayPal or Facebook Marketplace. To do so, you should first try to resolve the issue directly with the seller. If that doesn't work, you can file a dispute with PayPal or report the scam to Facebook.

Does Facebook protect you if you get scammed on Marketplace? ›

Purchase Protection is free, and automatically covers eligible orders. Purchase Protection means that you can request a refund if: You didn't receive your order. The product arrived damaged or different than described on the listing (example: the condition isn't accurate).

How do you expose a scammer on Facebook? ›

How to report a Facebook account or Page that's pretending to be me or someone else
  1. Open the Facebook app for iOS or Android.
  2. Go to the impersonating Page.
  3. Tap in the top right and select Find support or report Page.
  4. Select Scams and Fake Pages.
  5. Select the option that best describes the impersonating Page.
  6. Tap Next.

Is it worth reporting a scammer? ›

It is generally best to file a police report on a scammer, reach out to your bank, and file a complaint with the appropriate federal agency as soon as possible after you have been scammed.

What can I do after getting scammed on Facebook Marketplace? ›

Report a Facebook Marketplace scam
  1. From your Feed, tap , then tap Marketplace.
  2. Tap at the top right.
  3. Tap Inbox, then tap Buying.
  4. Tap the listing that you want to report as a scam to open your messages with the seller.
  5. Tap the seller's photo.
  6. Tap , then tap Report.
  7. Tap Continue, then tap Scam.

How to track down someone who scammed you? ›

Utilize social media platforms to search for the scammer's name or usernames. Look for any profiles or accounts that match details they provided you with. Employ reverse search tools designed to connect names, phone numbers, or email addresses to publicly available information.

What to do if you've been scammed on Facebook? ›

If your Facebook account has been the target of a phishing attack, you should take steps to protect it as soon as possible. First, report your account as compromised. You can report your account as compromised whether or not you can log into your account.

How to get money back from a scammer? ›

Contact the company or bank that issued the credit card or debit card. Tell them it was a fraudulent charge. Ask them to reverse the transaction and give you your money back. Did a scammer make an unauthorized transfer from your bank account?

What happens when you report a scammer on Facebook? ›

After you report a scam profile or page, Facebook will manually review your report and take the appropriate action. According to Facebook, your name and personal information will be kept private during such reports, and they will not divulge your information with the alleged impersonator you're reporting.

What happens if you block a scammer on Facebook? ›

When you block someone's profile on Facebook, that profile will no longer be able to do things such as tag your profile or see things you post on your profile. If you have additional Facebook profiles, you'll need to manage blocking from each of your profiles separately.

Can you find out who is behind a fake Facebook profile? ›

Can I find out who created a fake Facebook profile? Directly identifying who created a fake Facebook profile is challenging due to privacy laws and Facebook's own privacy policies. While you may gather clues from the profile's content or interactions, Facebook does not disclose this information to individuals.

Can you go to jail for scamming on Facebook Marketplace? ›

Authorities are urging people who use Facebook Marketplace to be on alert after a New Jersey teenager was arrested for allegedly using the platform to lure and rob an unsuspecting victim.

What happens if you give your phone number to a scammer on Facebook Marketplace? ›

That's an attempt to retrieve your phone number, at which point the scammer could quickly register for a Google voice number, which will send a verification code to your phone. The scammer will ask you to send them the code you received – just to verify you are a real person.

Do banks refund scammed money? ›

The short answer is: it depends. While getting a refund after losing money to scammers is possible, the outcome depends on factors like bank policy, the type of scam, the amount lost, and how quickly the scam was reported. According to US federal law, banks must reimburse you for unauthorized transactions.

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