"OMG Click here to watch this video"
Have you been a victim of link scams, spam or virus messaging? I’ve been seeing a lot of it on Facebook lately. I think I saw, “OMG Click here to watch this video, you can’t miss it,” and “This is sick! See who viewed your Facebook profile,” like four times in the past month.
Most of the spam I see is a virus link on Facebook that plugs you in a tag or posted something on your wall. These wall attacks almost always try to lead you to agree to install an application that requires a user to authorize the ability to post to walls and friend pages. That’s why you get these messages from your friends – they fell victim of the message first.
It happens to all of us. Even professionals. I read online recently, a Mashable.com reporter fell victim to a Facebook scam purporting to be part of a Southwest Airlines promotion.
Truth is, spam is one of life’s inevitabilities. With over 350 million users, Facebook has become nearly the number one jackpot for spammers.
If your account has been taken over and used to send spam, you should do this immediately:
Reset your Facebook password. If you can’t reset your password because the email address you use to log in has changed, or if your account has been disabled, visit Facebook’s help page.
Run a virus scan. Make sure you have up-to-date security software on your computer. If you don’t do this, and your computer is infected, your account may be taken over again.
How to avoid falling victim:
• If it looks suspicious, don’t click on it.
• Look for popular scams and waves of attacks. I read Mashable.com daily – it’s a great resource for anything web-related.
• Beware of links that accompany text on your wall from people who don’t normally post links.
• Pay attention to what apps you authorize to post to your wall.
• Investigate or research any application before you install it.
• Delete any messages posted on you wall that look suspicious.
How do you combat spam on your profile or fan page? Join the conversation!
Trish Skram is a communications professional who works at Mercy Health System in Janesville and writes about Janesville's professional community. Trish is a community blogger and is not a part of The Gazette staff. Her opinion is not necessarily that of the The Gazette staff or management.
May 15, 2011 at 3:30 p.m.
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You couldn't pay me enough to open a Facebook account.....problem solved!
May 14, 2011 at 12:27 p.m.
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Follow-up #2...
Somebody broke in to my house, and kidnapped my children...I just don't understand how that could happen. How could anybody do something like this?
All due apology if this sequence has offended anyone, but people who do such things are asking for much more serious problems than just viruses.
May 14, 2011 at 12:25 p.m.
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Follow-up #1
...and here's pics of my house...and my wonderful children...
May 14, 2011 at 12:21 p.m.
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all the privacy settings are great and wonderful and all...but people stupid enough to have 8,765 facebook friends INVITE attacks. Thanks for the drink, buddy. What's your name? You have facebook? here's mine. Some people are just too stupid to be on a computer. Especially those who truly believe that computers were MADE for myspace and facebook and the rest of the gutter of the Internet.
May 14, 2011 at 11:45 a.m.
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As Dwight said change your privacy settings.
But I`m think you already know this.
May 14, 2011 at 9:27 a.m.
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Or you could buy a Mac since 99.99% of these viruses are intended for PC users.
May 14, 2011 at 8:53 a.m.
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They are out to get me!
May 13, 2011 at 7:42 p.m.
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OR simply change your privacy settings to prohibit people from being able to post on your wall.
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