Facebook Photoshop Scam Spreading Like Wildfire

by Terrence O'Brien on April 4, 2011 at 04:30 PM

Clicking on Facebook links is dangerous business. At least a few of aren't aware of this sad fact; otherwise, the latest scam Facebook app wouldn't be spreading at the alarming rate of almost 90,000 clicks per hour.

M86 Security labs reported the latest link hoax, which spreads quickly via Facebook Chat. It starts with a message from a friend that reads, "hey, I just made a photoshop of you, check it out :p" with a link attached. Clicking the link brings up a prompt, which asks you to install a Facebook app that requests access to Chat. Of course, it then immediately begins spamming your friends with the same message. It keeps you distracted by redirecting you to a blog featuring "45 Strange and Funny Photoshop Manipulations" such as a person's face on a dog. Needless to say, none of them feature your face.

The ultimate purpose of the scam is unclear at the moment. The destination site doesn't install any malware or lead to more traditional scams, such as surveys used to mine your personal data. It's possible that the rogue app is just the initial stage of a larger scam, but it could also be the work of pranksters simply proving that Facebook Chat is vulnerable to attack.

If you've mistakenly installed the rogue app, called 'millium,' simply head to your privacy settings page and click on 'Edit Your Settings' under 'Applications and Websites.' Find the entry for 'millium' and click 'Remove App.' Then send your friends and family a note of apology for being so gullible.

Tags: apps, facebook, facebook photoshop scam, facebook+photoshop+scam, facebookphotoshopscam, photoshop, scam, scams, security, top, web

via: The Atlantic
source: M86 Security

Comments

MichaelApr 5th 2011 8:31AM

Highest Ranked

FB is 'ok' for real friends and relatives to keep up communication, however it's wise to never accept anyone you don't positively know as a 'friend'. Never, ever click on a link or video unless you absolutely know the source and sometime this isn't even good enough. If you're ever lucky enough to be able to contact FB security reps., again good luck with this, all they'll tell you to do is change your password. Take heed people, FB has no real security when it comes to your security, so be careful out there.

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lilmom9252Apr 6th 2011 10:42AM

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@Michael

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Pete AielloApr 5th 2011 9:04AM

Highly Ranked

I think it's time to cancel my Facebook account !

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Logo designApr 5th 2011 10:00PM

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FB is great in terms of connecting with your friends and relatives. But, users have to exert extra careful in dealing with those messages they receive.

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lilmom9252Apr 6th 2011 11:56AM

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Barbara Christman-May Sherry, I totally agree with you!!! Letting some 26 year old punk have access to all our personal information is just crazy. I think we should all do what that woman did in the "Facebook Obsession" and sign off of this stupid thing for good. Let's all just unplug, as my mother puts it, what did we do before computers and cell phones??? We wrote letters and talked on the phone.....I think we should go back to that and put this little shit out of business!!!!!
about an hour ago · Unlike · 1 person
Barbara Christman-May He's a scam artist who used his friends to think up ideas and then stole them and claimed them as his own. Now this KID is worth BILLIONS!!!!!! It's craziness and no one person should have this much control over Millions if not billions of peoples information, more over I don't think the president of our Country should be on this asking him for information....other leaders of other Countries are doing the same and that is just INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
about an hour ago · Unlike · 1 person
Barbara Christman-May Mark Zucherburg you don't deserve what you have and I hope you go down in flames!!!!!!!!!! You are a fraud and you don't have the brains to keep this going. I hope that your friends that you screwed over win in court and you lose everything. You are just a 26 year old PUNK who thinks he can control the world. You may have an empire now, but I can't wait to see it crumble to pieces!!!!
5 minutes ago · Unlike · 1 person
Barbara Christman-May I think that everyone should do what that woman on the "Facebook Obsession" did and take themselves off of F.B., then Zucherberg would go down in flames like he deserves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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lilmom9252Apr 6th 2011 11:59AM

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That is not what I said, it is obvious I am being censored for what I really think and that is just like Mark Zucherberg to do so!!!!

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lilmom9252Apr 6th 2011 11:55AM

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Robert MayApr 6th 2011 12:03PM

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I'm going to write to the newspapers and everyone else I can think of for censorship of my wifes comments. You can dish it out but you can't take it, can you Zucherberg!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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