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Facebook Users Warned About Hoax Message That's Going Viral

(CBS Local) -- Authorities are warning Facebook users about a hoax message going viral.

"Hi… I actually got another friend request from you yesterday which I ignored so you may want to check your account," reads the viral message that is completely bogus.

The message goes on to instruct Facebook users to hold their finger on the message until the forward button appears and then prompts them to forward it to all of their friends.

Don't do that, authorities say.

The message is fake and by forwarding it to your Facebook friends or followers it only persists in spreading the hoax.

Your account is not sending out duplicate friend requests. There is no bug or virus currently confirmed that is sending your friends fake requests.

Facebook users are being told to simply ignore the message and do not spread it as sharing with your Facebook friends as it will only prolong it.

Related: Facebook Says 50 Million Users Affected By Security Breach

Last year, a real cloning epidemic hit Facebook, but unlike that incident, this one has been proven as false.

If your Facebook is really hacked there are measures to take to fix the problem, but experts also suggest taking preventative measures to avoid having your Facebook account compromised.

The easiest way to find out who has been accessing your account is to go into your "Settings," select "Security," and then the "Where You're Logged In" option.

That will give you all the information you need to figure out if you someone has access to your Facebook account that should not.

Other easy steps to take to prevent being hacked on Facebook include regularly changing your password, reporting a hacked account, reporting suspicious messages or applications, and strengthening your other privacy settings.

(H/T CBS Philly)

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