Over the past couple of weeks there has been a rash of new Facebook profiles with people trying to connect with triathletes. They had been targeting various triathlon groups punting out friend requests. Beware of facebook triathlete strangers anyone using that social platform.
Friend requests from strangers
Two of our team had requests this week from a couple of these new threats. The stranger profiles offer freebies and profile for willing volunteers prepared to connect. The triathlon closed groups have now started posting warnings on these individuals. You are unlikely to see much more success through that route but it is unlikely to deter them for long. Suspicious? We were. The profiles don’t have much history and don’t appear to be connected to any formal company that could give them any credibility.
Fake triathlete profiles
So what is the deal with these rogue triathlon befriending punters? Our concern is that this could be a co-ordinated effort to steal bikes. They are getting into your Facebook profile looking at your Strava / Garmin / MayMyRide profiles. They use this to understand where your home address is and work out from your pictures what spec of kit you have worth stealing. Nasty stuff.
Our Advice
So our advice is stay safe. Only accept friend invitations from people you know or from companies with a track record you can check out for yourself. If you know about any of these profiles let us know. Post a comment so you can share your experience with our growing community. Beware of Facebook triathlete strangers.
BILLY
About the author – Billy is the founder of Trivelo Bikes and also a big fan of social media where it is used in the right way.
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