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Crooks Creep Online As Facebook 'Copycats'

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NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - If you're on Facebook, you probably post pics without giving it a second thought. Now some people are using those photos to rip people off. Facebook phonies know no bounds. And now, they're after your wallet.

Joe Giacalone knows that first hand. He found out his Facebook page had been cloned when a friend reached out to him. Says Giacalone, "It's not a good feeling when you think that you've been had."

The fake Giacalone asked friend Joe Wolf for money. That was Wolf's tip-off. Wolf says, "I knew this was not Joe Giacalone."

Giacalone contacted Facebook and changed his privacy settings. That is what you should do if you've been a victim. You should also reach out to the Federal Internet Crime Complaint Center.

An advocacy group called Facecrooks also more information on its website. It reminds people that your profile picture is public, so essentially anyone could save it and use it elsewhere. Consider using a pic that doesn't have your face in it. They also say if you get a duplicate friend request, contact the friend outside of Facebook.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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