askyourdreamsforideas: How to spot fake profiles,fake identities and murky people on Facebook

This is a rather hasty but valuable compilation of stuff I found online on the subject,along with my personal take on it.

Back in a more innocent age, a Facebook friend bore at least some resemblance to an actual friend: They were real people with real identities with whom one had some connection in real life. But the online "friends" who populate Facebook are increasingly not who they say they are. Indeed, some are not even real human beings, but merely malevolent online creations.

Facebook has distinguished itself from competing social networks by requiring that members use their actual identities, a stipulation that has created both an aura of intense connection and a sense of safety, helping Facebook to grow into a $50-billion behemoth with 550 million members.

In Facebook, things are not all as it seems: there are people who are under false names, pictures, interests and even friends. You look at their profile and think “something here does not fit.” These characters seek to trick legitimate users the purpose of sending unsolicited advertising, steal personal information or engage in various scams.

Why would people create fake facebook profiles?

Shallow relationships: "lovers" testing and teasing each others, teasing by fake comments of fake profiles, testing each other by fake flirts or msgs!
Monitoring: monitoring people (students, employees ... ) lives by fake personalities!
Business: forcing some business to grow by making it popular through many profiles!
Revenge: broken people creating humiliating fake profiles for those who hurt them!
Psychos: males creating profiles for females and vice versa.
Stalkers: people who know you from real life and they believe online communication offers more opportunities to interact with you
Some people are just sick: stupid pointless people like to fool around!
Professionals: if you belong to an activist or extreme or otherwise deemed 'dangerous' group,there will most likely be professionally hired people to gather information about the activity of both your specific group and you individually

Tips for Identifying Fake Online Profiles:1. Be wary if the profile describes a personality that complements your own or is too good to be true. Often, imposters will create interests and activities that mirror your own in order to start a conversation.2/ Determine whether any of your "mutual friends" have actually met your newest online acquaintance in person.3/Use search engines to do a quick background check on the name and basic information used in a profile.4/Peruse posted pictures and albums carefully. A real person will often have pictures with friends and family, who will have tagged and commented on photos. By contrast, most of the fake profiles have only one or two photos.The images are of poor quality, without descriptions, tags and comments.Or they might be generic./Don't be tricked if your friend has multiple people who vouch for him or her online. One person can easily make multiple accounts to make it appear as if there is a support network of family and friends.6/Imposters will often try to interact with your own friends and family members to create a broader sense of familiarity and build up a broader network of trust.7/If birthday is 01/01 (no offense real ones LOL but because it's the fastest choice)! 8/ Info profile is too short not equipped with a category. For example do not mention the school name etc

Here's a very good indication:

A fake profile of Facebook user that is a stalker aimed specifically at you will actively seek you out, sending friend request though there are no common friends,will keep liking everything you post,almost obsessively, and keep posting messages on your wall

Fake profiles and stalkers are easily spotted,at least that is my experience. It's murky people serving murky purposes that are more difficult to identify. Eventually,though,after some initial probing,especially if you go by your gut feeling,they reveal their true colors.Plus, when they do realise you saw through them they obligingly take to greener and more naive pastures,or they just start lurking.My policy:Fearlessness. THEY should be afraid of me,not the other way round. I show my true colors,they dont,so all their interactions are based on fear of being revealed for what they are,which is quite of a stess-generator! I get to have fun,they get to have stress.Sounds fine by me! No need to report them,they get what they deserve! Everyone does in the end.