BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) -
Tuscaloosa Sheriff Ted Sexton is just the latest, well-known victim of a
fake Facebook account, but the incident highlights a sobering lesson: anyone
can be a victim.
In Alabama, some forms of theft aren't even illegal. In many cases, people
copy and paste pictures and information and there's no law to protect
residents. Officials say that's because it's hard to measure the damage done.
If you find that a stranger has taken yoru pictures or is using your name on
another account, Facebook says to do the following:
-Go to the fraudulent account, click the gear drop down menu at the top of
the page and select report/block.
-Select submit a report and then choose "this person impersonating
someone" and follow the directions to complete the report.
According to a Facebook representative it usually takes between 24 and 72
hours to process the report.
However, it is a crime if someone hacks your account or uses your identity
to make money. Jefferson County Sheriff's Sgt. Paul Huffstutler says because of
Facebook's policies it's difficult to protect against virtual identity theft.
His only suggestion: stay off Facebook.
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Source: MGN Online
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