There’s no
doubt that Facebook has completely revolutionized the way people interact. But
there’s a dark side to the world’s love affair with social media. Criminals are
finding new ways to utilize Facebook to commit new and disturbing crimes that
authorities don’t necessarily know how to police. That’s why if you want to
continue to enjoy social media, you should be aware of the common crimes
committed on Facebook so that you can avoid becoming a victim. Here are the
seven most common Facebook crimes.
Criminals have been utilizing the scam for centuries. In the Facebook
world, scams are particularly effective at drawing people in by simply enticing
an individual to click on a link that would interest almost anyone, such as an
innocent-looking notification that you’ve won a free prize like a gift card.
Then, in order to claim the prize, scammers require you to submit some
information, such as a credit card number or Social Security number. This
description may make it seem like scams are easy to spot, but even the most
savvy social media user has to be on the lookout for illegitimate requests for
information.
Cyberbullying is a common occurrence among teenagers on Facebook and one
that can result in serious criminal charges if it goes far enough.
Cyberbullying on Facebook has contributed to the deaths of several teens who
either committed suicide or were killed by a peer. Cyberbullying that involves
hacking or password and identity theft may be punishable under state and
federal law. When adults engage in this kind of online behavior it is called
cyber-harassment or cyberstalking.
The term “stalking” is thrown around a lot on Facebook, and it is often
meant as a joke for regularly looking at someone’s profile. However, the actual
act of cyberstalking is a common crime on the social networking site and can
result in a serious offense. Cyberstalking typically involves harassing a
person with messages, written threats, and other persistent online behavior
that endangers a person’s safety. Although cyberstalking may seem like nothing
more than annoying behavior, it is a legitimate cause for concern in many cases
and can even lead to in-person stalking or endangerment if not treated
seriously.
It doesn’t take much for a thief to find out where you live, go to school,
work, or hang out if you make that information readily available on Facebook.
If you use Facebook’s check-in or Google Maps feature, then you could be in a
heap of trouble if a robber is paying attention. This person isn’t always a
complete stranger either; they may be an old acquaintance or someone else you’d
never expect to come rob you.
With the large amount of personal information swarming around Facebook
these days, it has become fairly easy for criminals to steal users’ identities.
Hackers often break into users’ e-mails and make fake Facebook accounts. From
there they can access personal and bank information and cause havoc to your
sense of security. Protect yourself from identity theft on Facebook by keeping
your profile very secure and free of personal information that a criminal would
love to have.
An individual commits the crime of defamation when they communicate a false
statement to a third party that paints another individual or entity in a
negative light. Facebook makes communicating defamatory statements
frighteningly easy, and the exposure Facebook provides makes it more likely
that businesses or individuals will be harmed by the defamatory statement, and
thus more likely to pursue legal remedies. Be careful what you say on Facebook;
you may be committing a crime without even knowing it.
Harassment happens all the time on Facebook. From
sexual harassment to assault threats, there has been a significant increase in
the number of harassment cases happening on Facebook. It’s not uncommon for sex
offenders and sexual predators to prey on unsuspecting victims on Facebook and
even pose as a teen or college student. Harassing messages, inappropriate
comments, and other persistent behaviors should be reported to Facebook and
your local police station.
