The Trap
If you run a Facebook or Instagram page for your band, venue, small business, or event, you’ve almost certainly seen it: a message (usually in your Page’s “Message Requests” or as a comment tag) from an account pretending to be “Facebook Support,” “Meta Business Team,” “Copyright Violation Department,” or “Instagram Compliance.” The message is always urgent: “Your Page has violated community standards / copyright rules and will be permanently deleted in 24–48 hours unless you appeal immediately.” They include an official-looking link (usually bit.ly, tinyurl, or a fake meta-business-login page). This is 100% a scam. Meta will NEVER contact you this way.
What the Scammers Actually Want
The second you click that link, you land on a page that looks identical to the real Facebook or Instagram login. You type in your email and password → they now own your account. Within minutes they change the email, kick you out, and either:
- Run thousands of dollars in ads to crypto wallets (you pay the bill)
- Hold the page for ransom (“send $500 in Bitcoin or we delete everything”)
- Sell the page on the black market (a page with 10k+ followers can go for $1,000+)
I’ve seen clients lose $8,000 overnight and lose pages they spent a decade building.
Why It Works So Well
These fake accounts use real Meta logos, perfect English (thanks to AI now), blue checkmarks (bought or stolen), and they tag you on your own posts so the notification looks legit. The fear of losing your page is instant and primal—especially for event promoters, venues, and artists who have ticket links, years of photos, and customer messages tied to that page. The scammers know panic makes people click before thinking.
How Real Meta Warnings Actually Look
Meta only notifies you in two places:
- Inside Meta Business Suite → Account Quality (business.facebook.com)
- Email from an address ending in @support.facebook.com or @fb.com (never Gmail, never Yahoo)
If you don’t see the warning in Account Quality, it is fake. Full stop. No exceptions. Ever.
The Golden Rule (Tattoo This on Your Forehead)
Never, ever, EVER click a link sent to you by “Facebook Support,” “Meta,” “Instagram Compliance,” or any similar name. Even if the profile picture is the official Meta logo. Even if they quote your exact Page name. Even if they threaten to delete your page in 24 hours. Close the message, block the account, report as spam, and move on with your day.
What to Do If You Already Clicked
Stop everything.
- If you only visited the page but didn’t log in → you’re safe.
- If you entered your password → immediately go to facebook.com/hacked (from a different device or incognito window), secure your account, turn on two-factor, and revoke all sessions. Then check your ad account billing — scammers move fast. Act within the first 10 minutes and you’ll usually save everything.
Spread the Word & Stay Safe
One share can save someone thousands of dollars and years of work. Meta isn’t going to fix this tomorrow, so we have to protect each other. Stay paranoid and stay safe — the only thing getting deleted today should be the scammer’s fake account. Bookmark this post and send it to everyone you know. You might just become their hero.
