Facebook Phishing And Survey Scam

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Facebook Phishing And Survey Scam

The messages used in the scam attempt vary considerably. In one version, you are promised access to erotic content hosted on a Facebook profile. Those who take the bait and click the link in the spam message are first taken to a seemingly genuine Facebook profile page.

However, once this profile page opens, you are immediately redirected to another page designed to look like the genuine Facebook login page. The fake login page uses a web address that includes the word "facebook" in an attempt to make it appear to be a genuine Facebook web page.

If you go ahead and enter your Facebook login details you will not be taken to the erotic content you were anticipating. Instead, you will be taken to yet another website that promises expensive prizes such as iPads and laptop computers in exchange for participating in a brief survey.

After you have chosen your "prize" and answered the survey questions, you are then asked to provide your full name, email address, home address and phone number, supposedly so you can be contacted should you actually win the selected prize.

Fine print on the bottom of the form notes that, by entering, users consent to all their information being shared with other parties who will send them further promotional material via email, phone, text message or post.

Some of the "surveys" require you to provide a mobile phone number that will subsequently be used to subscribe you to very expensive text messaging services charged at several dollars per text. You may thus be faced with large phone bills for unwanted mobile phone services and, because you have provided your name and contact details, you may be inundated with unwanted promotional emails, phone calls and junk mail.

However some victims have also divulged their Facebook login credentials to the criminals operating the scam. Once they have collected this information, the scammers can then login to the victims real Facebook account, lock out the genuine account holder, and use it to perpetrate further Facebook driven scam and spam attacks.

It is always safest to login to your online accounts by entering the address into your web browser rather than by clicking a link in a message.

If you believe you have been a victim of this type of scam you should promptly report it to the IC3's website at www.IC3.gov. The IC3's complaint database links complaints together to refer them to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration.

Remember - always watch for scams!

Steve