Facebook admitted that of the 2.1 billion users on its social platform, approximately 270 million of them are fraudulent or duplicated. The number of fake accounts is up from 2% to 3% and the number of duplicates from 6% to 10%.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
The social media site stated that the increase is a result of better tools for tracking illegitimate activity instead of a spike in suspicious sign-ups.
Contrary to Twitter, Facebook is known for being strict about verifying the identity of its users. It’s even gone as far as to request official documentation. However, fake accounts still manage to come into existence on the social platform. They are typically a result of user mistakes or created to spam or operate under a network of bots. Duplicate accounts often represent valid data from the same person but use multiple profiles.
Facebook previously confirmed that the users behind fake news or information have used these accounts to increase interaction numbers and mess with the company’s algorithm.
Because there’s no real technical expertise needed to spot the fake accounts, amateurs around the country have taken up the task. Technical writer Zachary Elwood began tracking evidence of fake Facebook profiles and found several impostors.
In one example, he came across multiple profiles, mostly associated with Macedonian content, using the same pictures and details of a single individual real estate agent in Virginia named Harry Taylor. Elmwood discovered a network of pro-Trump American women, but older posts and details suggested that the accounts were created in the Middle East.
To spot fake content, first, see who the profile is “friends” with. Is the hometown listed in correspondence to its friend base? Next, compare the profile’s public name with its web address. If a profile seems skeptical, search for similar pages that have the same personal details or images.
Having over 2 billion users worldwide, Facebook relies on complaints to monitor its content. In most cases, the social network will respond with a standard message thanking you for the feedback.
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