Scam Signature Message:

OMG! i just noticed who keep watching my profile and photos. It was really shocking to know. Check who looks at your profile @

 

Scam Type:  Rogue Application

Trending: January 2012

Why it’s a Scam:

Clicking the wall post link takes you to the following Facebook application:

Clicking the ‘Allow’ button loads the following survey scam:

Clicking “Allow” will give the scammer access to your Facebook data at any time and the application will be able to post to Facebook as you. This will allow them to spam their scam messages to all of your friends. This particular application is called “Profile Watcher”, but these scams are known to use multiple app names.

Anytime you install a third party Facebook application, you give the application developer access to your personal data. Always be very selective on the apps you install, and only install them from well-known, trusted sources.

Keep in mind that profile spy and stalker apps are all bogus and violate Facebook’s TOS, and developers do not have access to the information required to complete such applications.

How to Deal with the Scam:

If you did make the mistake of  installing the rogue application you are now spamming the very same spam message to your friends. Clean-up your newsfeed and profile to remove references to the scam. (click the “x” in the top right hand corner of the post).

You also need to remove the app from your Facebook account. Click the down triangle—>Account Settings—>Apps to remove this and other rogue applications.

 

 

If you or your Facebook friends are falling for tricks like this, it’s time to get yourself informed of the latest threats. Be sure to join the Facecrooks page on Facebook to be kept informed of the latest security issues.  Also check out:

Your Ultimate Guide to Facebook Scams and How to Deal with Them

How to spot a Facebook Survey Scam

BitDefender Safego is a Facebook application you can install that will scan your News Feed and help keep you safe from scams like this.