1 reply to this topic

[zalternate]

People are so trusting, just because the message came from a friend, or a Bot. You never know. Thats what Google is for. To check things out first, to be sure of what the product is.



http://www.bbc.co.uk...nology-10987725

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16 August 2010

Facebook 'dislike' scam warning

Facebook users are being targeted in a scam that offers them a chance to install a "dislike" button.

The scam tricks users into allowing a rogue application to access their profile page, which then posts spam messages.

It also attempts to lure people into completing an online survey, for which the scammers are paid money.

The social network already offers a "like" button that allows people to rate other user's comments and posts.

Graham Cluley of security firm Sophos said it was the latest in a series of "survey scams" that included links to a video purporting to show an anaconda vomiting up a hippo.

"One thing we commonly see is that the message starts 'OMG, shocking video'," he said.

"And they appear to come from your Facebook friend, giving it a ringing endorsement."
Unknown apps

The dislike button scam prompts people to download an application with the message: "Download the official DISLIKE button now."

When users click on the link it prompts them to install a rogue application, which does not function as a dislike button.

Once a user has given it permission to access their profile, it updates the user's page with a link and a message: "I just got the dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts lol!!!"

"Many people are giving permission for completely unknown apps," Mr Cluley told BBC News.

The surveys appear to be from genuine companies, he said.

"As far as we can tell, they appear to be legitimate," he said. "It could be that the firms are not policing their affiliates properly."

The scam finally points users towards a Firefox add-on that installs a "dislike" button.

Mr Cluley said the add-on also appears to be legitimate.

Its makers did not respond to request for comment.

A spokesperson for Facebook said that the site had a "very quick process in place" to make sure that links and rogue applications were taken down quickly.

"We always encourage people to not click on links that appear suspicious - even if posted from a friend," a spokesperson said.

"They can report any posts to us. We can make sure that we take down any application or all of the links across Facebook."

But Mr Cluley said that although Facebook could respond quickly, it should police the development of rogue applications more closely.

"Anyone can write a Facebook app - these scams are constantly springing up," he said.

[zalternate]

Facebook users receive a spammed message from one of their contacts which encourages them to click on the adjacent link in order to get the "official Dislike button". Clicking takes the user to a fake install page.

"If you do give the app permission to run, it silently updates your Facebook status to promote the link that tricked you in the first place, thus spreading the message virally to your Facebook friends and online contacts."




http://news.cnet.com...g=2547-1_3-0-20

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Security firm Sophos has highlighted yet another scam that's zipping around Facebook in the form of a third-party application, this one spreading in the form of links claiming to be from friends that encourage members to install a Facebook "dislike button."

Sophos wrote about the scam in a blog post Monday, pointing out that a link to it tends to appear in wall posts that appear to be from the user's friends ("I just got the Dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts lol!!") but which are actually automated messages from friends who have already been duped. The scam's purpose is to force users to complete a survey contained in the application, a bit of trickery that has already been known to be perpetuated through scam links like "Justin Bieber trying to flirt" and "Anaconda coughs up a hippo," the two of which presumably would be enticing to rather different demographics of Facebook users.

As Facebook's surging membership numbers have blazed past 500 million around the world, its channels of fast social connection and messaging have become a prime target for scammers and viruses. This one's particularly nasty because a "dislike button," offering some kind of counterpoint to Facebook's own "like" button, is something that many members have been clamoring for.

Beyond tricking a user into completing a survey, and hence gaining access to your profile and the ability to spam your friends, there doesn't appear to be much about the scam that's dangerous. Eventually, after the user completes the survey, it does redirect to FaceMod, the maker of a Facebook-based "dislike" button that takes the form of a Firefox browser plug-in. Sophos points out that the scam does not appear to have any direct connection to FaceMod.

"If you really want to try out FaceMod's add-on (and note - we're not endorsing it, and haven't verified if it works or not), get it direct from the Firefox Add-ons Web page, not by giving a rogue application permission to access your Facebook profile," the Sophos post by analyst Graham Cluley read.

And part of the privacy policy for the 2 FireFox add-on's.

When comments on the extension are one star or 5 stars(as a comment pointed out) people are not paying attention to what this extension is doing.  Well it is putting ad's on your FaceBook page for you to see, via your browser downloading ad's to be placed when you log in.

"Facebook Dislike"

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General

FBD is an add-on program for FACEBOOK. FBD is a freeware and can be used without any restriction in personal environment. DOWEB is not affiliated with FACEBOOK in any way. FBD adds the feature “dislike” to FACEBOOK page and may disrupt the normal use of FACEBOOK. If you notice any problem while using FBD along with FACEBOOK, uninstall FBD before contacting FACEBOOK’s customer support.

You may uninstall FBD at any time and with no limitations, using the standard uninstall procedures as offered with your Internet Browser

FBD is a free software but DOWEB may at any time adds advertisements in your FACEBOOK page. The plugin does not launch pop-up or pop-under advertisement windows or any other type of obtrusive ads.

Another Add-on dislike button. "FaceMod - Facebook Dislike Button (The Original)"

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What Personal Information Does FaceMod Collect?

FaceMod may collect information that you have posted on, or otherwise uploaded into, your Facebook account. For many users, this is information they have elected to make public through the Facebook platform. To the extent you have set your Facebook privacy settings, the information accessed by FaceMod may be private content. By downloading and enabling the Application, you are authorizing FaceMod to access all of the foregoing types of information. Such information will NEVER BE SOLD TO ANY THIRD PARTY.

In addition, we may automatically receive and store certain, anonymous types of information whenever you interact with the Service. Such information may include the user's IP address, domain server, and type of Internet browser. This information helps us, among other things, analyze trends and administer the Service. This information is anonymous and contains no personally identifiable data.

HOW DOES FACEMOD USE THE INFORMATION IT COLLECTS?

Improve our Services: Your information may be used by us internally to improve our services.

Advertising: We don’t share your Personal Information with advertisers. We provide advertisers with non-personally identifiable attributes we have collected (including such things as Age, Interests, Gender, and Geograpic location) to help provide you with a more relevant advertising experience.

Edited by zalternate, 16 August 2010 - 02:02 PM.