Over the past few years internet scamming has increased significantly. From 2008 – 2009 alone, scam complaints and reports increased by 30 percent. 65 percent of these scams originated in the United States, followed by 10.5 percent in the UK, and 7.5 percent in Nigeria.
One of the most common ways a person can be tricked by a scam is through Facebook. People can be easily fooled by these scams because they spread from network to network through friends and acquaintances that fall for them. The easiest way to tell if you or someone you know has been scammed is if your Facebook starts posting weird links to a scandalous video or freebies like an iPad or Subway gift cards.
The most common types of Facebook scams are phishing and identity theft, malware or spyware infested links, click and “like” jacking, subscription, 419 advanced fee scams , and romance scams.
Although Facebook scams appear in many forms they have enough things in common to make them easy to identify. A sure sign of a scam is if Facebook asks the user to paste a code or URL into their browser. Pasting the code will automatically run a javacript command on the account or direct the user to a malware infested page. Also, if Facebook suggests the user to upgrade Flash Player or download a program it could lead to a virus.
If Facebook prompts users to post links to other pages and invite their friends to do something before they claim a prize, it is a scam. Fake log-in pages are also a sign of a scam. A fake log-in page can be identified by checking on the URL address that appears on the top portion of the browser. Never give away confidential and private information. If a link asks for something such as a social security number or credit card information, it is a sure sign of a scam.
These scams are spread through wall posts, chats, private messages, groups, pages, rouge applications, and fake events. The best way to avoid these types of scams is to not click on a link unless you know what it is. It is also important to keep your anti-virus/anti spyware programs updated and limit online surfing to trustworthy sites. Scams can also be avoided by optimizing your privacy and security settings, and by changing your password every few months.
Facebook users can be on the lookout for new Facebook scams and how they work and spread by joining the Facecrooks Fanpage, and by reading the scam watch section on their website-www.facecrooks.com.