To some, social media is an effective method to network and communicate with coworkers, friends, and family. For others, it’s an entertainment venue. A place to mindlessly watch videos that make them laugh, cry, and frown.
Then there is the elite! — a select few that social media platforms like Facebook Fanpages are their lifeblood. Entire businesses are built and based around niche pages that are bought, sold, and traded on high-end, trusted websites. However, even on the most trusted platforms, there are still some risks involved for business owners and brands that rely on the ability to acquire digital assets.
For example, scammers recently figured out a way to sell niche Facebook pages with hundreds of thousands of followers and walk away with a pocket full of cash and their original Facebook page.
How did they do it?
On legitimate sites there are many processes put in place to ensure it’s a safe place to do business. One of those processes is an escrow service that ensures both parties walk away with exactly what the original agreement stated that both the buyer and seller would receive.
There was one exception — “The hidden Facebook Fanpage Admin”
This “trick” allowed scammers to hide the fact that they still had the ability to control a Facebook page. This allowed scammers to slip through the escrow process, collect their payday, and then take control of a page. The business or brand purchasing the page would walk away with nothing. We’re happy to report that we’ve received a minimal amount of trouble because of this loophole. Mainly because as soon as word hit the street that this was possible, we immediately and temporarily shut down the sale of Facebook Fanpages until there was a fix for the issue.
If you are in the market to purchase a Fanpage, be on the lookout for this scam. During your purchase process, follow the steps below to ensure there are no hidden Facebook Fanpage Admins on the property you are purchasing. Do not leave escrow until you have done the following steps.
The Fix!
While being an admin you need to:
- open https://facebook.com/creatorstudio
- click settings
- select page and click page roles
If there are any hidden admins, they will be seen in the creator studio. So, just compare the page roles in the creator studio vs. the regular page roles and you will be able to tell whether there are any hidden admins on your Fanpage. That’s it!
IMPORTANT!
This ONLY works if there is no business owner (page owner) on the Fanpage. So, if you buy/sell pages and are getting ready to secure one, make sure the Business Manager is removed by the seller before you test for hidden admins.
Also, another way of checking for hidden admins is through your own Facebook business. As long as you claim the page, you will see the hidden admins from business.facebook.com settings. The creator studio way is way easier and quicker, though.
An article by @austinlawson.