Singer Saara Aalto reminds people to be careful on social media.
Artist Saara Aalto, 36, fell victim to a creepy scam. The singer says on her Instagram stories that her Facebook artist account was hacked on Friday, September 8.
According to the musician, he did not notice anything alarming about the male person before the scam.
– This story is pretty crazy. The hack happened right in front of my eyes. I had a video call meeting with a man who claimed to be the manager of a comedian from the US. He had invited me to be a guest on this comedian’s podcast and I thought it would be a fun and new idea, Aalto says on his social media account.
– He said that the recording of the podcast would take place via Facebook. They would do a podcast live on Facebook, so I would have to log in there through my artist account. I thought it sounded reasonable, he adds.
Saara Aalto says that she thought she was talking to the American comedian Manager. Pete Anikari
Aalto says the man explained that they would have to check the star’s Facebook settings because of the live broadcast. It sounded reasonable to the singer. The man had instructed the artist in changing the settings, after which the fraudster was able to log into the singer’s Facebook account and steal it.
– I’m a geek and yet it seemed like a magic trick to me. I was on a video call meeting with him at the same time this happened. Then I realized that he hacked my account. I decided to pretend I didn’t understand what was happening. Suddenly the video call ended and he started adding people to my Facebook page and I tried to delete them, Aalto recalls.
– He transferred my account to his business manager. It was horrible because I saw everything he did. In a panic, I called my dad, my digital marketing team, and Facebook support.
Saara Aalto managed to get her stolen artist account back in less than a week. Pete Anikari
Aalto says that Facebook support didn’t do anything about it for three days. The following Monday, the singer had enough and contacted his lawyer.
– I read somewhere that if you approach Facebook support with a lawyer, they will restore your account faster. My lawyer and I sent documents to Facebook in which I prove that the page is really mine, the singer opens.
– I got my artist account back the same day and I’m so happy, he said.
The musician feels that the unpleasant situation has left a lasting impression on him.
– To be honest, it was horrible. I think I’m a little traumatized by what happened. It was so scary when a person steals my identity while I was looking at him, says Aalto.
– That’s why I want to warn you. These hackers are really good and they can impersonate anyone. So be careful, and don’t agree to change anything in your Facebook settings unless you really know this person, he reminds us in the end.