Scam Signature Message:
(FOX NEWS VIDEO) The “Facebook-Killer”
07-29-2011 – News reports of a man they are calling the ‘Facebook Killer’ have gone rampant, he has claimed 9 lives in the United States so far that we know ..
Alternate Messages: This scam has a localized variation that uses the city of the person infected in the headline. This is no doubt done to grab the attention of their friends and unsuspecting users.
The scam is using multiple domains and alternate characters in the headlines to make it easier to spread and more difficult to stop.
Scam Type: Bogus Offer
Trending: July 2011
Why it’s a Scam:
Clicking the wall post link goes through a series of redirects and you finally end up on the following page:
Again, this page uses the location of the user to make the offer appear more legitimate. If you click on any of the offers you will be taken to similar scam pages that we have seen in the past (Wall Mart Gift Card, Southwest Airlines, Best Buy Gift Card, Starbucks, etc.)
If you read the fine, you must complete several “Sponsor” Offers. Not only is this a ridiculous hoop to jump through, and will cost you a lot of money in the end, but the scammers are acquiring a treasure trove of your personal data. You will be required to provide your name, address, phone numbers and date of birth. This will enable the shady marketers to not only spam your Facebook account, but also harass you via snail mail, phone calls and text messages.
How to Deal with the Scam:
If you notice that you are sharing the scam link on your News Feed, then you should clean it up to remove references to the scam. (click the “x” in the top right hand corner of the post).
Be on the lookout for more marketing offers arriving to your email inbox and physical address if you submitted that information to the scammers.
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