It’s unfortunate, but it happens a lot on Facebook. People create these fake accounts and get people’s hopes up that they could win a trip to Disney World.
Seriously, these people who create the fake accounts are pathetic. They find joy in giving those, who may never be able to afford a Disney trip, the hope that they could win a trip from them. It’s sad when you read the comments. People thank them over and over and say they would never be able to go and that they are so grateful to be able to enter this contest. Others actually put more personal details in their comments, probably thinking that will help their chances of winning the “contest.” It really is very mean and I feel so bad for all the people they dupe.
It’s easy to be tricked by them. They use a picture that looks like it is an official Disney picture and the title of the page, at first glance, looks official too. It’s easy to miss the period at the end.
How do you tell a scammer account? First and foremost the pictures that go along with the “contest” usually look like a table full of handmade goodie bags you would see at a child’s birthday party.
Second, the name on the account will have a dash or a period in it; Disney’s Facebook Accounts have no dashes or periods. The names on the accounts are the full name of the destination: Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, etc.
Lastly, the fake accounts are not verified accounts. When you do a search for Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, or any of Disney’s official pages, you will see a white checkmark in a blue circle. Hover over the checkmark and it will say “Verified Page,” so you know it’s a legitimate Disney page.
I’m not sure what these people gain from having people comment and share the pictures, but I would imagine they do something with the names they collect. Also, if there is a link in the post, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK. Clicking on the link is probably how they collect information.
So, if you a contest seems suspect to you, I would play it safe and not comment, share, or click on any links. The best thing to do would be to report the page to Facebook and hopefully they will take it down quickly.
Thanks for reading!
*Liz*