An attempt to fraudulently obtain an individual’s telephone contact information through deceptive practices on the Facebook platform is a common online threat. This typically involves an actor posing as a legitimate entity or individual, employing various social engineering techniques to persuade the target to divulge their phone number. For example, a scammer might impersonate a friend claiming to need the number for urgent contact, or pose as a representative of a fake contest or giveaway requiring verification via phone.
The primary objective of acquiring a phone number in this manner is often to facilitate further fraudulent activities. The obtained number can be used for identity theft, to initiate phishing attacks via SMS (smishing), or to gain access to other online accounts linked to the number through password recovery processes. Historically, these scams have evolved alongside social media platforms, adapting to new features and security measures to exploit vulnerabilities and human trust.
