Image via CrunchBase
Some Facebook users have started posting a message on their walls, and encouraging their friends and family to do the same, claiming that Facebook will start charging this summer.
According to the message, if you post it on your own Facebook wall then you will still be able to use the social network free of charge.
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Warnings are being posted across Facebook, warning users to beware messages from friends that invite them to “Visit the New Facebook”.
Although these messages are being shared by Facebook users with the best of intentions, the warning about the risk of being locked out of your own Facebook account may in fact be more of a nuisance than the alleged hacker attack itself.
Here’s a typical message seen on Facebook:
PLEASE RE-POST FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!THIS NOTICE IS DIRECTED TO EVERYONE WHO HAS A PAGE ON FACEBOOK: IF SOME PEOPLE IN YOUR PROFILE OR YOUR FRIENDS SEND YOU A LINK WITH WORDS "VISIT THE NEW FACEBOOK ' DO NOT OPEN! IF YOU OPEN IT YOU CAN SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR PAGE. IT'S A HACKER WHO STEALS YOUR DETAILS AND REMOVES YOU FROM YOUR OWN PAGE. COPY AND SPREAD THE WORD
However, Sophos researchers have found no evidence that the threat is real. We simply haven’t managed to uncover any reports of any users hit by such an attack.
As such, it appears that this is just the latest chainletter spreading across the social network. We’ve certainly seen plenty of similar examples of hoaxes spread by well-intentioned people in the past.
Remember, a genuine alert would be likely to contain a link to a legitimate security firm’s website – detailing the true nature of the threat.
Remember to always get your computer security advice from a computer security company. Friends may be well-intentioned in passing on warnings, but it’s always good to check your facts before forwarding them any further.
Source :- http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com
Image via CrunchBase
A new virus hoax is spreading on Facebook, shared by well-intentioned users who believe they are warning their friends and family about a threat – but, in reality, are just adding to the noise.
Messages being shared across Facebook warn users not to add as a Facebook friend people called “Jason Allen” or “Amy Allen“.
Here are some of the versions of the chain letter message we have seen:
ATTENTION ALL FACEBOOK USERS;IF SOMEONE WITH THE NAME JASON ALLEN OR AMY ALLEN TRIES TO ADD YOU..DO NOT ACCEPT.IT IS A VIRUS.TELL EVEYBODY BECAUSE IF SOMEONE ON YOUR LIST ADDS THEM YOU WILL GET THE VIRUS TOO.COPY PASTE AND RE-POST THIS.THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY FACEBOOK SNOPES..
HEADS UP EVERYONE
ATTENTION !!!ATTENTION !!! ATTENTION !!! ATTENTION ALL FACEBOOK USERS**... DO NOT ADD *JASON ALLEN*, ALSO IF SOMEBODY CALLED *AMY ALLEN* ADDS YOU, DON'T ACCEPT... IT IS A VIRUS. TELL EVERYBODY, BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY ON YOUR LIST ADDS THEM, YOU GET THE VIRUS TOO. **COPY AND PASTE AND PLEASE RE POST* THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY FACEBOOK AND SNOPES
The truth is that this is a hoax. You’re not really doing others a favour at all if you post or forward the warning to other Facebook users. It’s just the latest example of the many hoaxes we have seen spreading over the internet for some years. Just last month we saw a very similar virus hoax spreading on Facebook, but using the names Jason Lee and Linda Smith rather than Jason and Amy Allen.
If you think about it, a warning about Facebook users called “Amy Allen” and “Jason Allen” isn’t actually that helpful. After all, just imagine how many people have names like that! And if users called that weren’t up to no good, and saw the warning being spread about them, wouldn’t they just change their online names?
Furthermore, according to the warning, Facebook is said to have confirmed the threat. If that’s true, then precisely where has Facebook confirmed it? Why is there no link in the warning where people can discover more about the threat?
Remember to always get your computer security advice from a computer security company. Friends may be well-intentioned in passing on warnings, but it’s always good to check your facts before forwarding them any further.
Source :-http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com
