Scam Signature Messages:

THIS WEEK ONLY! $100 Applebee’s Gift Card Giveaway!

Trending: January 2012

Scam Type: Malware, Rogue Plugin

Why it’s a Scam:

Clicking the link on the Facebook wall post takes you to the following page designed to look like Facebook:

The scammers are hoping that users will think this is a Facebook promotion. If you look closely, you will see that you are on an external website designed to look like Facebook. This is a favorite trick of the scammers. If you ‘Click Here To Begin!’ the following screen loads:

The end game here is a rogue browser plugin.  As with Facebook applications, only install plugins / browser extensions from trusted sources.  Based on what we have seen so far, this one doesn’t fit the bill. Installing the plugin leaves your system totally vulnerable to the developer. Similar scams have been known to pack malware and viruses. Installing the plugin is definitely not worth the risk to your system. We decided to stop here and advise you to do the same.

How to Deal with the Scam:

If you follow the scam through to its completion, then you are likely spreading the very same scam message to your friends. They will need to remove the scam message by clicking the small “X” located in the top right hand corner of the post on their wall. You also need to run a complete system scan on your machine to make sure the code didn’t infect your system. You will also need to uninstall the rogue add-on from your web browser.

How to protect your Facebook account from Rogue Browser Extensions

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.