Understanding the latest Facebook scam

[Jonzjob]

This is copied from the latest Open Office info e-mail I have. I don't have anything to do with facebook or twitter or anyother carp (I'm sure there's a spelling mastike there?) like that, but if it helps anyone so much the better.

" Understanding the latest Facebook scam

View the original post on the OpenDNS blog.

Every few weeks there's a new scam that makes the rounds on Facebook. This week it's the "Find out who visits your profile," scam, which we've all seen before. Here we take a deeper look at the scam to understand better what exactly the virus is trying to do and how we can all protect ourselves.

The virus works first by gaining access to your Facebook account. Unlike other methods for hacking, which involve somehow accessing your login credentials, this scam needs only for you to click a link posted on your wall or someone else's wall. To entice you into clicking, the scam offers something lots of people would love to know, but Facebook doesn't allow: a list of people who've viewed your profile. You might receive an e-mail notification that tells you a friend has posted a link on your wall with this context:

"LOL !! Me cant believe that you can see who is viewing your profile! I can see the TOP 10 people and I am really OPENMOUTHED that my EX is still checking my Pix and my Profile. You can also see WH0 CHECKS YOUR PR0FILE here)"

The most important thing to understand about this scam is that you should not click the link. If you don't click the link and opt-in, the virus is rendered powerless. If you click the link, and you happen to be logged into your Facebook account when you do, the virus immediately goes to work posting the same link and content on your friends' walls. There's no way to stop it in progress — the only way to repair the damage is to visit each of your friends' walls one-by-one and remove the post, or message all and hope they haven't already clicked the link, as well.

Within social networks users are largely accountable for their own safety. The primary thing to remember: if you have any doubt, don't click the link. Facebook offers this bit of advice:

"Always use caution when clicking on a link or opening an attachment, even if it's been sent or posted by a friend or other reputable source. If you have any doubt, get confirmation directly from the sender. Be especially wary of messages that include attractive offers or urgent requests, and watch out for links that require you to immediately provide a login and password."

 

[Blister]

I have a foolproof method of stopping all and any Facebook scams

I am not a FACEBOOK USER :mrgreen:

Simple's

And I still survive

Why do you want people to know all your ins and out ??????????????????????

 

[tekno.mage]

I have a facebook account as a friend persuaded me to set one up so I could see some photos of her horse she'd posted up there! I set the account up with as much security & privacy as possible and filled in the minimum amount of info about myself. My photo is a pretty one of some wildflowers and not of me. I have a few facebook friends who treat facebook in a similar manner and have found it useful on a few occasions - but I only use it very occasionally to send & receive private messages from friends and to see information in a couple of private groups I am a member of.

It does (I suppose) have the benefit of letting you easily post information & photos in a central place where you can control who can see the info - and save you emailing the stuff around a group of people. It also lets me stay in touch with a couple of friends (students!) who are always changing their "free" email accounts and don't always remember to let people know.

However, beyond that very limited use of it - I've never really seen the point. If I want to talk to my friends, I phone, text or email them directly.

Regarding the scam, I'm unlikely to fall for anything like that as I don't think I have ever clicked on a link on a facebook page, nor do I see any reason to do so in future.

 

[marcros]

However, beyond that very limited use of it - I've never really seen the point. If I want to talk to my friends, I phone, text or email them directly.

When text was the new thing though, were there not a great many people who used to say "I dont see the point of texting... if I want to contact my friends, I phone them".

 

[RogerP]

However, beyond that very limited use of it - I've never really seen the point. If I want to talk to my friends, I phone, text or email them directly.

When text was the new thing though, were there not a great many people who used to say "I dont see the point of texting... if I want to contact my friends, I phone them".

I still don't see the point of texting. :?

 

[newt]

Yes I also have difficulty in understanding the desire to join facebook. I read this morning that many 22 year olds have as many as a 1000 yes 1000 friends they communicate with, and are very into who has the biggest in -box. What the pineapple do they talk about, what would happen if they could put that mental energy into something useful.

As an aside, did you know that if you lose your mobile phone unless you report it to your provider (it has to be a phone call) inside 24hrs you have to pay the bill if someone else uses it, and there is no way around you are completely stuffed. Young chap lost his on hols, emailed O2 inside 24 hrs but then got a Bill for £3300. It was made worse in that o2 said his contract was with carphone warehouse and vica versa. His monthly average calls came to a £5 but o2 have no requirement to alert him that it has gone into very high use, unlike credit cards. Top advice was, have pay as you go, and use a pass word on the phone.

 

[Dibs-h]

However, beyond that very limited use of it - I've never really seen the point. If I want to talk to my friends, I phone, text or email them directly.

When text was the new thing though, were there not a great many people who used to say "I dont see the point of texting... if I want to contact my friends, I phone them".

I still don't see the point of texting. :?

When you are already on the phone to somebody, but need to get a message to someone else and you might be on the phone for a while, but the message is time critical (well important).

Dibs

 

[Jonzjob]

In that case I could use either Skype or our other phone here at home.

On the odd occasion that I do sent texts I use Skype. I also use the English language and not the text rubbish. Skype tells me just how any characters I have left before it joins two texts together and I am using a proper keyboard and not a pidddling little thig on a phone.

Thinking about it I do have a facebook account, but I have used it about once when my sister sent me some photos from Aussie, where she lives, and I haven't a clue even how to sign on now?

 

[tekno.mage]

I still don't see the point of texting. :?

I really like texting - it's so much less intrusive than a phone call and you get the message in a written form (no more ambiguous voicemails where you can't hear the message because the caller was in a noisy place.) To be honest, I'd rather receive an email or a text than a phone call - I can read it when I want to and have time to consider a reply (also I can't hear when the house phone rings if I'm in the workshop and I don't always remember to take the mobile out there with me!)

I use English rather than "textspeak" when texting, although in a terse form (like was used for old telegrams) and use a Palm mobile phone which has a QWERTY keyboard.

 

[RogerS]

However, beyond that very limited use of it - I've never really seen the point. If I want to talk to my friends, I phone, text or email them directly.

When text was the new thing though, were there not a great many people who used to say "I dont see the point of texting... if I want to contact my friends, I phone them".

Yup...and we're still here.

 

[Shane]

I use, and like facebook. All of my friends on my FB list are actual real friends and useful networking contacts, and all my settings are set as private, If your names not down you're not coming in. Just because I use FB, I don't feel obligated to comment every time I cough or pick my nose, I write what I feel may be off interest to others.

I do find it funny the people that dis FB spend an inordinate amount of times spouting kack on forums, is that any more credible?

 

[Jonzjob]

I suppose that at the moment facebook is very 'chic' and I tend not to 'do' chic?

I once found that the pair of trousers I had just bought, back in the 70s, bell bottoms and 'crushed strawberry', had suddenly become the in thing to wear and it took me a long time before I got into them again.

As I say, I don't do chic very well?

 

[Shane]

the pair of trousers I had just bought, back in the 70s, bell bottoms and 'crushed strawberry'

As I say, I don't do chic very well?

I would say not :shock: :lol:

 

[devonwoody]

If you see a female who is not on her mobile telephone you know she is having a bad hair day, and if she is not on facebook the same applies.