Currently, individuals on Instagram and Facebook can get a verified account (blue badge) by subscribing/paying monthly. This begs the question for the public, how to distinguish between official accounts and fake accounts if many public accounts can get verified?
Previously, Meta only gave blue badge (verified account) to accounts that met certain requirements such as being active users, having their own uniqueness, being authentic, having complete data, public figures, or official brands/companies. However, now Meta issued a new policy that allows everyone to get a blue badge by subscribing/paying monthly.
The requirements to subscribe to the blue badge are not easy, however, as you must meet requirements such as having a profile with your full name, having a profile photo that shows your face, having an ID that matches your name and profile photo, and meeting Meta’s terms of use and community guidelines. Meta’s blue badge verification is only for the real name on your profile. Once your profile is verified, you cannot change your profile name, date of birth, or profile photo without going through Meta’s verification process again. So it is less likely for a fraudulent account to get a verified/blue badge on their account.
How to Distinguish an Official Account from a Fraud/Fake Account
Despite the strict verified account subscription requirements, it does not rule out the possibility of misuse by scammers.
Don’t forget, that the blue badge is not in the profile picture, but to the right of the account name.
It is best to carefully check every account on social media before interacting with it to avoid being scammed.
Here are practical ways to make you more aware of fraudulent accounts.
1. Carefully assess the account
Many scams use fake account names. Even though you can’t use the same name to create a social media account, these scammers don’t stop at nothing, they create accounts that look similar. One of the letters jumbled up to make those who aren’t careful think the account is real.
The Bank BCA has several official accounts on social media, including @GoodLifeBCA on Instagram. Make sure you interact with BCA’s official social media accounts by checking here.
2. Check the follower and following numbers
Be sure to always check the accounts following as well as the followers. Verified accounts usually do not follow many other Instagram accounts. Even if there is, the Admin will select strictly which accounts to follow.
3. View posts
Content from genuine verified accounts will have a sense of order. The reason is that those behind it will think about brand colors, content size, and the message they want to convey in the content they share. If there is no such regularity, you can be sure it’s a fake account.
4. Check the number of likes and comments
Genuine brand accounts typically have high engagement with their followers. This will make the number of interactions in each post also balanced, both between the number of likes and comments. Otherwise, it’s best to be suspicious before you start following or interacting with the account.
5. Ignoring received messages
Fake accounts tend to engage in the search for their victims. They do not hesitate to follow and send messages to other accounts. They usually ask for the victim’s personal banking data. Make sure you don’t give them your data. If you come across such an account, immediately block it and report it to the platform.
6. Contactcustomer service
If you find a suspicious account claiming to be from BCA, you can contact HaloBCA at 1500888 to verify the accuracy of the information and get further action.
Increase vigilance by reading more information related to banking fraud modes through the #AwasModus article at bca.co.id/awasmodus