Having Facebook In Another's Name

[FredPuli43]

Is it possible for a stranger to open a facebook account using your email address and your name? I appear to have one, on an old email address I never use. I didn't know anything about it and haven't got a facebook page that I know of. A friend checked it and reported it unused by me (or my alter ego)

[Mick-Talbot]

Maybe they typed in the wrong email addy?

[jd_1984]

It may be yes, if the old e-mail account is still active and the person has been able to gain access. To open a Facebook you provide an e-mail address, FB will then contact you on that e-mail to instruct you how to open your account and you pick a password etc. After that in theory you can pretend to be another person. You can report this though

[rockyracoon]

I can't remember if FB send an activation email when you join, if they do then the person would have to be able to log into your email account.

[2sp_]

I'm pretty sure that when you set up a FB account an email would be sent to your email address to confirm it really is you, so this other person would have to have access to this email account.

Can you still access the email account? If so I would go and change the password. Then go into Facebook, click on "forgotten your password" and request a new one be emailed to the old email account. That way you can then get access to the FB account yourself and delete it.

I hope that works.

There are some really odd people out there. I'm not sure why anyone would want to start a FB account as someone else, but I'd hazard a guess that the intention is not wholesome.

[FredPuli43]

Facebook malware! I had received an email, which prompted this post.

Headed with the dark blue strip and white lettering 'facebook 'it read "Here's some activity you have missed on Facebook. There are a total of three messages awaiting your response". This was followed by the white lettering, as before,"Go to Facebook" and , in a grey box, "See all notifications"

When my friend clicked on the latter, her Mcafee cut in with the warning not to go further. The rest of the email was in Facebook format, including the company address and how to unsubscribe if you did not want to receive these emails in future.

I checked on Facebook, trying to log in. No account is held in the name Fred Puli i.e. no account exists with any email address of mine nor with my phone numbers and a search for Fred Puli brings up nothing.

The sender address of this email , begins noreply + mazus followed by several letters and numbers,ending ovh.net.

[2sp_]

Well, on the bright side, your friends anti-virus kicked in before any harm was done, and no-one is impersonating you on FB.

Thanks for letting us know, though. Another dodgy email to be on the lookout for!

[FredPuli43]

Indeed, 2sp. She has forwarded my email to Facebook, for them to deal with.