Facebook Target of Fresh Scams; BitDefender

BitDefender the security company has issued an alert to the public to watch out for one fresh Facebook scam that's presently circulating online.

The scam according to the company involves a notification to users along with spam mails sent to them telling them that they would be administering a web-page not known to them. With this the scammers hope that users would become inquisitive and click on the given link for knowing further.

But then they are taken onto a bogus Facebook site from where they're further diverted onto a separate, equally malevolent site that prompts them to enter personal e-mail id and postal address so they may participate in a supposed experimental session associated with the just launched Apple iPad2. The lure turns out more exciting since the scammers declare a free supply from Apple of 10,000 iPad2 devices just for examining them.

Remarking about this scam, Head of Online Threats Lab Catalin Cosoi of BitDefender stated that it was extremely forceful and effective since it utilized 2 mechanisms to spread through Facebook, -direct e-mail and notifications. Einnews.com published this on May 10, 2011.

As for the scam, the elements of social engineering are basically two, one increasing curiosity among users as to why they should be administrators of a web-page and the other related to the exclusive iPad supplied for free, but shipped only for reasons of reviewing.

However, because of the maliciousness present within the method of scam in question and therefore to remain safe and not become victimized with it, BitDefender's security specialists suggest users for adopting certain measures. First, anybody of Facebook encountering this scam mustn't give out any information via a form attached to it and second, the user must ensure that his name isn't there on the list of administrators for the particular web-page.

Eventually, with over 600m users all over the world being members of Facebook, it maybe that numerous users would get ensnared with the scammers' ploy. Consequently, Facebook requires being vigilant of these scams and thus adopt a proactive approach for combating the above kind of spam mails else they'll keep thriving.

Related article: Facebook Users Should be Careful of a Computer Virus

» SPAMfighter News - 5/17/2011