Before accepting an unexpected Facebook friend request, verify that the account belongs to the person it claims to represent. A familiar photograph, mutual friends and a plausible biography are clues, not proof. Consider what accepting would reveal and use an existing trusted contact method if the request seems unusual.
01
Check context rather than one profile detail
Compare the request with your actual relationship. A second account from someone already connected to you deserves a separate check. Look for inconsistencies, but do not assume a sparse profile is fraudulent or a detailed one is genuine. The FTC warns that scammers create convincing social profiles and use friendship to introduce requests for money.
02
Verify through a route you already know
Call or message the person using previously saved contact information, not a number supplied by the new profile. Ask whether they sent the request. If you cannot verify it, leaving it pending or declining is reasonable. Do not share login codes, private documents or payment information to help someone “confirm” their new account.
- Review who can see the posts the account would access.
- Pause when a new contact quickly introduces an emergency.
- Avoid opening unexpected links or downloading supplied files.
- Report apparent impersonation through the platform's official tools.
03
Example of a copied relative's profile
A profile using a cousin's photograph requests friendship and immediately asks for help paying a fee. Contact your cousin through the number already in your phone. If they did not create the account, preserve the profile link and report it. Warn affected relatives privately without reposting sensitive details or sending them the suspicious payment link.
Frequently asked questions
Do mutual friends prove the account is authentic?
No. Others may have accepted without checking, or their accounts may be compromised. Mutual connections help establish context but should not replace independent verification of an unusual request.
Have I been hacked just because I accepted?
Acceptance alone does not establish account compromise. Review what became visible and whether you clicked links or shared information, then take security steps appropriate to what actually happened.
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