'Who Has Deleted Ya' Scam Hits Facebook

by Amar Toor on December 20, 2010 at 10:10 AM

There's a brand new piece of spamware making the rounds on Facebook, and, like so many others before it, this scam attracts users with empty promises of features that Facebook doesn't actually offer.

As All Facebook reports, the scam is currently spreading via Wall posts that read: "i cant believe how many people av removed me from your friends list! well i kno who you all r now, & im coming 2 get ya!" This eyesore of a message is accompanied by a link to an application called 'Who Has Deleted Ya!' Clicking on the link, however, will only post the exact same message on all of your friends' Walls. In the meantime, the link will take you to a site that promises a new iPad or iPhone 4 -- as long as you fill out a survey. If you actually do complete the survey, the spammer behind the operation will earn a commission, and, not surprisingly, you won't win any prize. You won't be able to see who's deleted you, either.

Unlike other scams, though, 'Who Has Deleted Ya' is strangely transparent. On the survey site, for example, is a disclaimer that reads: "Participation required. Click for details." If you click on this link, you'll find out that there really is no gift involved, and that the site is only interested in the survey. But, by that point, you'll have already spammed the rest of your friends, so, as always, it's best to avoid clicking on it in the first place.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=832312&pid=832311&uts=1292938291

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

The increasing flood of e-mail hitting your inbox can lower the guard of even the most cautious person. In the rush to keep up with important notes, it's easier than ever to fall prey to the scam artists and identity thieves who lurk online.

E-mail scams and phishing attempts evolve constantly, hoping to take advantage of the latest trends and current events. Although the e-mails change, the people behind them inadvertently send up the same warning signs again and again. We dug through mountains of spam to find the most prevailing trends. We've collected some actual scam e-mails and highlighted the warning signs to help you spot a hustle the next time one lands in your inbox.

Getty Images

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

1. Requests for personal information
No legitimate organization will ask for your social security, bank account or PIN number via e-mail – and none will include a link, sending you to a form to enter it. No matter how authentic these emails may look, ignore 'em.

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

2. Watch for typos or spelling mistakes
Scam artists are street smart, but many flunked basic grammar (or barely speak English). Look for mistakes like inappropriate hyphens or confusing "your" and "you're." If the note has multiple typos or grammatical errors, odds are it's not legitimate.

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

3. Clickable Web links in e-mails
Don't trust links to Web sites in e-mails. What might look like a legitimate address is often linked to a third-party site that looks official, but is actually run by thieves and scammers. These are the fast track to identity and financial theft.

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

4. 'Market research' or surveys that ask you for personal information.
Disguising scam e-mails as marketing is a classic ploy. You'll be asked to fill out a survey or enter a contest – requiring you to give personal information or "log on" to your account. Once you've done so, the scammers can use it themselves.

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

5. Stock tips from random people or companies
Got a "hot stock tip" via e-mail? It's probably a "pump and dump" scheme. The sender already owns shares – and when you and others act on the "tip," the stock price soars and he sells fast – leaving you with virtually worthless shares.

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

6. Attachments in e-mails from anyone you don't know
It should be common sense, but just in case, we'll remind you again: Don't open an attachment from someone you don't know – even if it appears to be your bank or credit card company. It's almost always a virus or spyware meant to steal your personal information.

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

7. Wordless e-mails
Some legitimate looking "e-mails" are actually just images. The danger with these is that clicking anywhere in the body takes you to a suspect Web site – where you may be fooled into entering personal information, or the scammer may slip spyware onto your machine.

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

8. Outdated information
Some scammers like to pose as technical- or customer support from a company you associate with – but fail to keep up with current events. For example, in the example above, the senders forgot that Earthlink bought Mindspring in 2000.

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

9. Red-flag phrases
If you see the phrases "verify your account," "you have won the lottery" or "if you don't respond within XX hours, your account will be closed," it's a scam – every time. Hit the delete button and don't look back.

Ways to Spot E-mail Scams

Tags: facebook, ipad, iphone 4, Iphone4, scam, security, SocialNetworking, spam, survey, top, web, who has deleted ya, WhoHasDeletedYa

source: All Facebook

Comments

rwfarrell7Dec 21st 2010 7:06AM

Neutral

Why are people like weak sheep.To join Facebook you need to provide your birth day, month, year, and E-mail address with your password.Even your bank provides you to open with a different password. Don't people realize that is an open invitation for scammers and for someone to peak at your e-mails and personal information and get your SS number next.

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lpjcafeDec 21st 2010 12:52PM

Neutral

@rwfarrell7 , you are so right and lately that information has taken out quite a few people on FaceBook. They don't even have an easy way to contact their security.. They don't care.

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LiaraDec 21st 2010 4:52PM

Neutral

@rwfarrell7
What are you talking about? My Facebook account has now and always has had a completely different password than I've ever used for any email address. Of course, my account has been sitting with it's largely bare profile (so people I've lose contact with can get a current email address to contact me at) for, like, ages... so it may have changed since my account was set up. They do have a lot of privacy issues unless you adjust your settings and not use most of the applications (which is what I've done, needless to say), though, so I would have deleted my account ages ago if I had a better way to stay in contact with my cousins who live on the opposite end of the country. Do they seriously make you use the same password for your FB account as your email address if you join now? Because that would just be asking for all kinds of problems.

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PaulaDec 21st 2010 7:44PM

Neutral

@rwfarrell7 I don't know what you were doing, but you do not have to give them the password to your e-mail account unless you use the "Friend Finder" feature. You don't do it to open an account and start contacting people.

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SherDec 21st 2010 8:08AM

Neutral

I do not care if my friends delete me on friend list if we do not contact each other.
We contact friends at diffierent time intervals.

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TDec 21st 2010 8:21AM

Neutral

@Sher

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aliasDec 22nd 2010 5:19AM

Neutral

@Paula There is also the option of just having an email account exclusively, for FaceBook and nothing else. So there would be nothing to care about, in that email account anyway.

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PaulaDec 21st 2010 7:43PM

Neutral

How about this: If you don't know who deleted you in the first place, you didn't need them as a "friend" anyway. If you do find out, then say "good riddance" and get over it. IT DOESN'T MATTER.

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