A Call for Support: Navigating a Crisis with Your Help

*This issue has been partly resolved. I have regained my personal Facebook account but the Peopoly Page account is still disabled.  I like to thank those who have assisted me in the process.  Mark

Dear Peopoly Community,

This blog diverges from our usual 3D printing topics, but it's an urgent plea for your support and understanding.

Firstly, rest assured that our Phenom XXL and Magneto X printers, along with their materials, are in production and unaffected. What brings me to write this is an issue that impacts not just me personally, but our entire community: the hacking and subsequent disabling of our Facebook account.

Why should this matter to you, our valued Peopoly community members? Let me explain.

On December 22nd, my personal Facebook account was compromised. The hacker posted several spam messages in our groups. Before I could reclaim my account, Facebook deactivated it—a temporary measure I anticipated lasting just a couple of days. However, to my dismay, Facebook then permanently disabled my account without offering a review or the ability to retrieve my data. This abrupt decision severed my 15+ years of personal memories and, crucially, cut off my access to Peopoly's Facebook Page and all user groups.

The ordeal didn't stop there. After losing access, the hacker exploited Peopoly's ad account, racking up over $37,000 in charges. With my access disabled, I was powerless to stop this until I managed to halt future payments through Paypal. Yet, the damage was done. Facebook's action to prevent spam inadvertently allowed the hacker to misuse our funds, with no recourse from Facebook.

I've tried to reach out to Meta, to no avail. I recognize the need to guard against spammers—I've diligently managed our groups to protect you from such nuisances. However, as a business and a significant advertiser on Facebook, it's disheartening to find no avenue to discuss such a critical issue. A crime has been committed, leading to substantial financial loss, and paradoxically, Facebook has profited from these fraudulent activities.

This situation isn't just about lost photos or messages. It's about a crime impacting a business and its community, with Meta inadvertently benefiting from the chaos. As a publicly traded company, one would expect Meta to actively combat such misuse on its platform, not indirectly profitting from it.

So, I'm turning to you, our loyal community, for help. Any guidance, contacts, or advice on reaching Meta/Facebook to address this issue would be profoundly appreciated. Your support means the world to us, and together, I believe we can navigate this crisis.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any assistance you can provide. Your support has always been the backbone of Peopoly, and it's in times like these that such a community shines brightest.

With gratitude,

Mark
Founder, Peopoly