I want to go over some of the most common scams on Facebook today, and more importantly, why they work. Facebook scams have evolved far beyond the simple profile cloning that was so prevalent. Today’s attackers operate with layers of social engineering, psychology, and high-pressure manipulation that mirrors real-world predatory tactics. It's not random spam anymore. It’s calculated, targeted, and designed around human emotion. One of the most common is the fake “Your Account Will Be Disabled” warning. The digital version of a fake police officer knocking at your front door. These messages arrive as posts, comments, or private messages and usually contain language like: “Your page is under review for copyright violations,” “We detected unusual activity,” or “You must verify ownership within 24 hours.” They’re dressed up with Meta branding, blue checkmarks, and professional formatting designed to look official. What they’re really targeting isn’t your account, it’s your fear of losing control. Your memories, business pages, contacts, identity, and social proof all live on that platform. When people feel that access is being threatened, logic shuts down. Instinct takes over. You click the link. It takes you to a pixel-perfect Facebook login page. You enter your details. In that moment, your information is captured and used instantly. The attacker logs in, often within seconds, changes the email address, phone number, and password, and locks you out. In more advanced versions, they even add a fake two-factor authentication step, asking you to enter the SMS code, which of course is sent to them. You don’t just lose access. You hand them the keys and the alarm code at the same time. Another highly effective method is what I call the “Friend in Crisis” scam. Essentially a digital kidnapping of someone you trust. The scammer gains access to a real account through a weak password, a leaked database, or a lack of two-factor authentication. Once inside, they don’t change the profile. They become that person.

Long before we teach kids how to throw a punch, set a boundary, or walk away from danger, they’ve already been quietly shaped by thousands of small messages. Some come from us. Some come from school, friends, movies, TV, and the internet. And most of the time, those messages don’t come in bold print. They come in tone, expectations, praise, criticism, and “good girl / good boy” comments that slowly hardwire behaviour. Let’s start with girls. From a very young age, girls are often taught to be polite, gentle, helpful, and aware of other people’s feelings. We praise them for being well-behaved, neat, quiet, caring, and understanding. On the surface, none of this is bad. In fact, these are wonderful qualities. The problem is when those qualities come at the expense of her own safety, voice, and power. Many girls grow up learning that their job is not to upset people. Not to be “too much.” Not to make a scene. Not to be rude. They’re taught to smile even when they feel uncomfortable. To laugh off things that bother them. To give someone the benefit of the doubt. To think about how the other person feels first. Add to that the pressure around appearance. From a disturbingly young age, girls start receiving the message that how they look matters. Hair, body, skin, clothes, weight. Over time, the mirror becomes a judge. And when that happens, confidence starts to grow from the outside in, instead of the inside out. Then we add in what they see on screens. Too often she is the one screaming, freezing, or waiting to be saved. She is portrayed as overpowered, cornered, or submissive. And when this story is played out again and again, it becomes a blueprint in the mind. Yet here is something I always remind people of. One of the most primal, powerful functions on this planet is childbirth. Most men could not endure that level of pain, intensity, or physical demand, and yet women do it, sometimes multiple times. Women are not weak. They are biologically and psychologically wired for strength, endurance, and protection. The problem isn’t ability. The problem is permission.