"I paid $4.99 for a 'premium unlock.' My credit card was then charged $129.99 for a subscription I never signed up for. My bank had to cancel the card."
Even attempting to bypass Facebook’s security measures can violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) in the US or similar laws in other countries (e.g., UK Computer Misuse Act). While prosecutions are rare for casual users, if you actually succeed in accessing private data (e.g., via hacking the target’s account), you could face fines or jail time.
If you've already used one of these scam tools: facebook locked profile viewer online
If the user has blocked your main account, you might be tempted to create a fake account. Warning: This violates Facebook’s Terms of Service and can result in all your accounts being permanently banned. Not recommended.
Send a Facebook message (if messaging is allowed – some locked profiles still permit messages from non-friends). Explain why you are interested in seeing their content. They may choose to temporarily unlock their profile or share specific posts with you. "I paid $4
You enter the profile URL or the username. The website pretends to "scan" Facebook’s servers. A progress bar loads: 10%... 50%... 90%...
Then, just as it reaches 99%, a pop-up appears: "Human verification required — Prove you are not a robot
"Human verification required — Prove you are not a robot."
This is the core of the scam. The "verification" asks you to do one of three things:
Some tools look almost legitimate. They ask you to "log in with Facebook" to verify your identity. You are taken to a fake Facebook login page. When you enter your email and password, the scammer captures them. They then: