fake 'mirror site' on Facebook asking for $$'s

[boomerangutang]

I rarely us FB because I don't like it much. However, I just found out - someone recently put up a site on facebook, using my name and photos - REQUESTING EMERGENCY MONEY. I contacted FB and requested they take the site down, which I think they've done in recent hours.

However, at least one my good friends already sent money - to a Western Union address in Ghana. People reading this will say, "Oh, I would never be duped in to sending money - particularly to a west African address." ....but it works some of the time. Several years ago I got duped by a similar rip-off (a friend's gmail account got commandeered). I lost $400 to a craphead with a London address.

I posted the scam notice (of the OP) on my real FB page, and sent emails to friends - alerting them to the problem. The buttplug scammer had apparently sent out a flurry of 'friend requests'.

But it harkens to how extremely easy it would be to do that scam. Simply pick a popular person on FB, make a fake page using their name and photos. 'Friend' as many people (from their original site) as possible - then send out a distress message pleading for money. I even wonder if there are laws against doing such things in countries like Thailand - and if a thief was caught - what would the penalty be? If u ask me, it should be harsh: restitution X3, plus 5 to 10 years in prison with no chance of parole or pardon.