Death is a part of life, but the news that someone you know may have died is now being exploited. Scammers are using it as a phishing ploy on Facebook to trick users into handing over their accounts.

According to cybersecurity firm DataProt, the "look who died" scam is currently prevalent on Facebook. Like other phishing scams, this scam exploits a sense of urgency to pique the curiosity of unsuspecting users on social media platforms.

The phishing scam begins with a Facebook message from your friend with the subject line "Look who died." It then provides a link to a news article that you supposedly know about. As you might expect, the article is fake and directs you to a phishing site.

Victims are prompted to enter their Facebook username and password to read the article. While freely providing this information is an easy way to get your Facebook hacked, the cybercriminals behind this scam can also use this information to install malware on your device.

Another notable aspect of this scam is that once hackers have someone's credentials, they can use them to sign in and lock them out of their account. With a brand new account in hand, they forward the message to the victim's friends in an attempt to get more people to fall for this scam.

Be just as careful when opening and replying to messages on Facebook and other social media sites as you are when checking your inbox.

Even if the message looks like it is from a friend (as in this case), you do not want to click on the link. At the same time, you want to pay attention to the time the person last messaged you. If you message each other frequently, there may be nothing wrong, but if you haven't spoken to someone in a long time, you don't know if your account has been compromised. You may be talking to a hacker, not a friend or family member.

To protect yourself from malware and other viruses spread by phishing attacks, we recommend that you have the best antivirus software on your PC, the best Mac antivirus software on your Mac, and the best Android antivirus app on your Android smartphone. We recommend that you install them. That way, if you accidentally download malware, your data and devices are protected. If you are really worried about being hacked, investing in the best identity theft protection service can help you recover from identity theft and get your life back.

From dead relatives and friends to unpaid bills and QR codes, scammers have every trick in the book to access your accounts and their data. Therefore, you need to be vigilant when replying to messages on social media or in general. To fall victim to these phishing scams, all it takes is to click on one link and let your emotions get the better of you.