Scammers are using new methods to cheat people, such as posing as gift-givers, or package delivery agents, or asking for KYC updates. By using these methods, they target individuals and drain their bank accounts. Have you received a message from someone who has recently passed away? If you have, then it can be from Ghost hackers who are actively operating on social media platforms specifically by posing as people who are deceased.
Who are Ghost Hackers?
These ghost hackers are most active on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others. They monitor the social media accounts of individuals and become active as soon as they learn about someone's death. Once a post about someone's death is posted on a social media platform, they search for the deceased person's social media account to gather information, and then use it to carry out fraudulent activities.
Social engineering is the primary weapon these hackers use to commit fraud. It is a type of cybercrime that involves tricking people into sharing sensitive information or taking actions that compromise their security. It's a form of psychological manipulation that relies on human error, rather than software vulnerabilities.
After gathering information, they trap people by using this information. They can easily breach social media accounts with weak passwords and reset the account password. Once they gain access to the account, they commit the crime.
How do they commit crime?
Similar to regular hackers, the goal of ghost hackers is to make money. After gaining access to an account, they send messages or make calls from it to trap individuals. It's challenging to track these hackers because the account used for the fraud belongs to a deceased person, allowing them to escape easily.
How to Protect Yourself?
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others have implemented policies to prevent the accounts of deceased individuals from falling into the hands of ghost hackers. You can manage the account of a deceased person on the social media platform by emailing the platform's support.
Additionally, users have the option to decide who will manage their account after their death. By going to the settings of the social media platform and selecting the Memorialization option, users can choose a legacy account. This helps prevent the account of a deceased person from falling into the wrong hands and avoids ghost hacking.
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