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New Phishing Scams Hitting Facebook Users

by Terrence O'Brien on May 22, 2009 at 02:23 PM

Facebook phishing scams simply refuse to die. First, it was FBAction.net, then a series of links with domains ending in ".im", and now links ending in ".at." All of these scams have one thing in common: They're designed to trick you into handing over your Facebook login information and hijack your account.

The AllFacebook blog reports that people are receiving e-mails and messages in their inboxes with links such as "areps.at." Clicking it takes you to a fake Facebeook login page. If you enter your information, the site will quickly login to your account and change your password, blocking you from Facebook,. It will then forward a malicious link to all of your friends via your account.

Also links with bests.at, kirgo.at, and nutpic.at in the address are also making the rounds. These also take you to the same scam site.

Lastly, as we were writing this post, we received, in our very own Facebook in-boxes, another Facebook phishing scam! This particular e-mail, which was sent from one of our friends whose Facebook account had been hacked and used to send out scam e-mails, had an innocent enough subject line -- "Hi." Then, inside, the message simply said "Look at goodmall.be." That's it. We clicked on the link and were taken to a fake Facebook page. So, watch out for that one as you're making the online rounds this weekend.
Have you ever been the victim of phishing?
Yes3107 (30.6%)
No4570 (45.0%)
I'm not sure.2469 (24.3%)

Facebook has been getting pounded by scammers recently, and this is only the latest skirmish. The good news is that the social network seems to be winning these battles by quickly deleting all references to the scam sites and shutting down spam accounts. It might be winning the battles, but our experience with phishing scams in general is that winning the overall war is still up for grabs. After all, phishers are nothing more than than glorified, 21st-century grifters, which is probably the world's second oldest profession. [From: All Facebook]

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

    Elderly Amish Man Caught on Film With Prostitute, Blackmailed
    When a 75-year-old Amish widower slept with a prostitute, he -- we feel certain -- felt pretty bad about it the next morning. As if that guilt weren't enough for the old man, the prostitute and her boyfriend demanded $67,000 from him, claiming that they had filmed the scene with wall-mounted cameras and would upload the recording to the Internet. The pair was later arrested and, we can only imagine, the Amish man abhorred technology more than ever.

    Bank Robber Gets Away With the Help of Craiglist
    In October, a bank robber -- wearing a safety vest, blue shirt, face mask and goggles -- eluded police with the help of Craiglist. Just outside the bank, while the robbery was in progress, stood a group of men who were responding to a Craiglist day labor opportunity. As the advertisement required, they were all wearing safety vests, blue shirts, face masks and goggles.

    Nude New Zealander Arrested After Responding to Fake Sexy Text Message
    Late in 2007, a Wellington, New Zealand man received a racy text message from two anonymous "ladies," giving him only an address and a request that he show up naked. Well, he indeed showed up naked... at the home of one appalled, unsuspecting New Zealander. Both the nude Romeo and the sadistic texter were arrested, though neither were prosecuted.

    Fake Craiglist Ad Costs Man Most of What He Owns
    Last Spring, a post appeared on an Oregon Craigslist board stating that the owner of a specific house was leaving all of his worldly possessions (still in said house) to whoever wanted them. When homeowner Robert Salisbury rushed home -- on a tip from a woman suspicious about the offer of a free horse -- he found his house being ransacked by 30 strangers. We suggest he take that horse and collect some vengeance Clint Eastwood-style.

    17-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Virtual 'Furniture'
    When a 17-year-old Dutch boy hacked into several accounts on the Second Life-style site 'Habbo' in 2007, the the law got involved. The boy was discovered to have stolen $5,800 worth of virtual furniture and knick-knacks. Apparently, crime -- whether actual or virtual -- does not pay.

    Phishers Going After Your Phones in New 'Vishing' Trend
    Over the past year, sneaky spammers have begun to forsake the worn-out territory of e-mail in favor of cell phones' fertile frontier. The result? "Vishing." Get it? Voice mail + phishing. It might be more ominous if it didn't sound like a James Bond villain saying, "Wishing."

    Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
    Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?

Tags: facebook, phishing, scam, top

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