facecrooks.com

Facebook Search Engine doesn’t Sit Too Well with Users

Tim — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:21:22 +0000

News that Facebook is planning on launching its search engine to compete with the likes of Google and Bing didn’t really get all that good of a feedback from its users. A recent survey conducted by Greenlight shows that 48 percent of the 500 respondents aren’t exactly very fond of the idea of using the Facebook Search Engine instead of the bigger names.

There has been news around a month ago that Facebook is planning on taking an overhaul of its search engine to help users experience an all new improved search function that will make searching for shared or liked articles, videos, and even status updates a lot easier than it is currently. This could very well be due to the fact that there were a total of 336 million searches conducted on Facebook back in February, which puts it right up there together with some of the big names in search engines.

A digital marketing company based in London called Greenlight conducted a survey to find out whether or not people saw a future for this search engine. A large percent leaned towards the negative side of things, around 17 percent said they’d probably use it and only 5 percent said that they were in favor of this new search engine. Based on the data Greenlight collected, it said that the Facebook search engine can still get around 22 percent of the overall search market share and could end up being the second most used search engine in most countries.

Recommended Resources

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

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Do Not Track + is a FREE browser plugin created by Abine. This easy to install plugin keeps websites from tracking you. If you value your online privacy, then you should definitely take advantage of this free product.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.

hey, go to photos2004 dot com and search for “your name” then click on the first photo – Phishing Scam

Tim — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:55:02 +0000

Scam Signature Message:

hey, go to photos2004 dot com and search for “your name” then click on the first photo.. I bet you didn’t remember that, eh?

Alternate Domains:

album2001 . com
album2002 . com
album2003 . com
album2004 . com
loginhtm . com
loginhtn . com
loginhtp . com
loginhtps . com
loginhttp . com
photos2001 . com
photos2002 . com
photos2004 . com

Scam Type: Phishing

Trending: May 2012

Why it’s a Scam:

Photos2004 dot com redirects to the following, cleverly crafted URL :

http://www.facebook.com.login.php-profile-signin-yi****.loginhtn.com/index.php?s=dot

This is not a legitimate Facebook domain, but a casual user could be easily fooled by it. We have highlighted the real domain with bold text just to give you an example of what a phishing link will often look like. Clicking the link will take you to the following page designed to look just like Facebook:

If someone accidentally completes the login on this scam site, the following photo will be displayed (and the scammers will have your Facebook login credentials):

On the other hand, if you have good security software installed, then you will likely receive a warning similar to the one we received while researching the scam:

Never enter you login information when a web page redirects you without first double checking to make sure you are on the legitimate site. A better option is to bookmark Facebook, and only login from there.

If you entered your Facebook login credentials on the page shown above, then you need to try to reclaim your account. Check out the following article for additional steps you should take:

Four Things you need to do if your Facebook account gets hacked

Be sure to let your Facebook friends know that your account has been compromised and not to click on any links that are sent from you.

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

Recommended Resources

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

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.

Brighton Woman Takes Legal Action to Expose Online Bullies

Tim — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:43:27 +0000

Anyone who has spent a considerable amount of time on the Internet might have come across someone overly rude or aggressive for no apparent reason. Most people would just laugh about it, or in some cases, simply ignore them, but one 45 year old woman, Nicola Brookes had just about enough.

Nicola Brookes, hailing from Brighton decided that it was just about time to act when she got fed up with one particularly nasty encounter on Facebook. It started when she wrote a message in support for a singer on the X Factor television show saying “Keep your chin up, Frankie, they’ll move onto someone else soon.” Her comment, later on, got the attention of online bullies or “trolls” and hundreds of abusive comments were posted under her message. It escalated into something a lot more personal as people accused Brookes of being a pedophile and stating that she should die. Later on, a fake account under her name with her picture was used to post inappropriate messages to young girls on the social media site.

Brookes reported the posts and the fake account to Facebook and to the police, but authorities have yet to act. Now, Brookes has hired lawyers to demand that Facebook provide identifying information of those who posted the offensive messages, as she is seeking private prosecution in the case.

Recommended Resources

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

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.

California to Become the Second State to Ban Employers asking for Facebook Passwords

Tim — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:57:18 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, Maryland became the first state to fight back against employers who demand access to their employees’ Facebook accounts. Now, California is aiming to be the second state to delve into this particular matter.

Of course, Maryland’s SB 433 and HB 964 bills don’t only deal with Facebook, but they also include all social media accounts. They prohibit the employer from requiring or even requesting the user names, passwords, or any other means of accessing employees’ social media accounts.

Employers, for whatever reason, should not have any rights to require you to provide your social media account username and password information. You, on the other hand, have the right to privacy in such things. Unfortunately, there are only a few Internet privacy laws that deal with social media that can protect employees in this regard.

Authored by Democratic Assembly member Nora Campos, the AB1844 bill that was introduced in February, seeks to ban employers from requiring existing or potential employees to provide their user account passwords for social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter.

There are other states keeping watchful eyes on this particular approach, such as Illinois and Michigan. There are also reports that members of the House and Senate are considering similar legislation at the national level.

For more about this particular topic, visit http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/california-to-ban-employers-asking-for-your-facebook-password/12978

Recommended Resources

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

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.

Facebook Proposes Changes to their Data Use Policy

Tim — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:40:03 +0000

Last Friday, Facebook announced proposed changes to their Data Use Policy. The goal of the changes is to create a more transparent guide on how Facebook uses the data of its users. Some of the changes are in response to recommendations made by the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, after completing an audit of Facebook’s data practices last year.

Some of the improvements touted by Facebook include:

More examples and detailed explanations of their policies.
New links in the Facebook Help Center.
A new section explaining how Facebook uses cookies and similar technologies.
More detailed information on how Facebook uses data in regards to general operations, advertising, and promoting the safety and security for its users.

Erin Egan, Facebook’s Chief Privacy Officer, advised that the policy is being updated to include information on new Facebook features launched since the last policy update – Activity Log and Timeline were specifically mentioned.

The Facebook Terms and Policies Hub was launched as well. This is a central repository for all of the terms and policies governing Facebook usage. This hub can be found at the following URL: https://www.facebook.com/policies and by clicking on the ‘Terms’ link located at the bottom of most Facebook pages.

If you want to view the proposed changes to the Data Use Policy, then visit the Facebook Site Governance Page. Users have the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes until 5:00 p.m. PDT on May 18, 2012.

Recommended Resources

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

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.

Free $100 McDonald’s Gift Card for Mother’s Day – Facebook Scam

Tim — Sat, 12 May 2012 19:48:07 +0000

Scam Message:

Free $100 McDonald’s Gift Card for Mother’s Day

Scam Type: Survey Scam

Trending: May 2012

Why it’s a Scam:

Clicking the wall post link takes you to the following page:

Step 1 requires you to share a message to your Facebook profile. This is how the scam is spreading so quickly on Facebook. Think before you click, so you aren’t willingly spreading scams and spam messages to your friends. Step 2 requires you to comment on the page, and there is hidden code buried that loads the following survey scam:

How to Deal with the Scam:

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

Never complete surveys to unlock videos or other content on Facebook. Scammers use these tricks to either spread malware, obtain personal identification or earn commissions from marketing companies. Don’t pad their pocket and possibly open yourself up to harm!

Some of the surveys require you to download files to your computer. Never do this! If you did so in error, then run a complete system scan with a good anti-virus software program. The I.Q. Quiz scam has been around for a while, and it typically requires you to enter your cell phone number to receive the results. The scammers then bill you for premium services. Keep an eye on your phone bill for bogus charges.

Also be wary of free offers or anything that sounds too good to be true. For more information on Facebook scams related to free offers, please see our alert: Beware of Facebook Freebies!

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

How to spot a Facebook Survey Scam

Recommended Resources

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

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.

Say goodbye to blue and try PINK or different colors and themes! Dont have a dislike button yet? – Facebook Scam

Tim — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:17:41 +0000

Scam Message:

Are you tired of your old blue Facebook guys? Say goodbye to blue and try PINK or different colors and themes! Dont have a dislike button yet? Get it now and dislike comments and pics! Customize your Facebook now! CLICK HER>>>

Scam Type: Rogue Application, Survey Scam

Trending: May 2012

Why it’s a Scam:

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

Clicking “Allow” will give the permissions shown above to the scammer. 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 scam also tags your friends in the Wall Post. Do you really want to let an unknown developer have this much access to your Facebook information? These scams are known to use multiple Facebook apps.

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.

Continuing on with the installation redirects you to the following survey scam:

Facebook is riddled with silly apps like this, and we strongly advise that you avoid them all.

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.

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

How to spot a Facebook Survey Scam

Recommended Resources

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

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.

Receive 4 Disney Land/Disney World Tickets FREE (Limited Time Only!) – Facebook Scam

Tim — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:35:52 +0000

Scam Message:

Receive 4 Disney Land/Disney World Tickets FREE (Limited Time Only!)

Scam Type: Survey Scam

Trending: May 2012

Why it’s a Scam:

Clicking the wall post link takes you to the following page:

Step 1 requires you to share a message to your Facebook profile. This is how the scam is spreading so quickly on Facebook. Think before you click, so you aren’t willingly spreading scams and spam messages to your friends. Step 2 requires you to like the page, and there is hidden code buried that loads the following survey scam:

How to Deal with the Scam:

Also be wary of free offers or anything that sounds too good to be true. For more information on Facebook scams related to free offers, please see our alert: Beware of Facebook Freebies!

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

How to spot a Facebook Survey Scam

Recommended Resources

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

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.

Questions about Facebook and Parenting – ITRC Social Media Survey 2012

Tim — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:41:59 +0000

The Identity Theft Resource Center recently launched the ITRC Social Media Survey 2012 with the intent to gather as many survey responses in an effort to develop informative materials to educate consumers on the topic of children’s use of social media. In recent years, social networking activities seem to have become the norm for our children – a way to communicate with friends, family, browse the web, gaming, etc. Social networking has become more accessible with the use of personal computers, tablets, smartphones, and other mobile devices. Although access has become more widespread, it is not uncommon for parents to lose track of the activities their children engage in while on these networks – facebook, twitter, and other social networking sites.

Social networking for adults often times has become a nightmare as a result of privacy threats posed by those maliciously using these networks to take advantage of its users. It becomes even more concerning when we think of our children being exposed to these same threats. As adults, we commonly acknowledge the consequences of using social networking sites; however, our children may not be as knowledgeable – either because they may not consider it a problem, or because they have not been informed. As parents, it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of our children’s identities and online well-being. Parents can sometimes make their children’s experience a safer one.

Making a child’s online experience safer is the purpose behind the ITRC survey. It is a step closer to developing material that can inform parents of the most commonly used practices, and revealing the diligence we take as parents in remaining informed on our children’s social networking activities. As parents are we aware of the number of social media accounts our children posses? With the increasing use of mobile devices, is it becoming harder for parents to monitor our children’s accounts? As parents, are we even concerned with the activities our children engage in, or are we even concerned with protecting our children’s online identities? These questions appear to be common logic ones, however, because of their simplicity as parents we may often overlook the serious message they present.

The ITRC survey is a very brief and short multiple choice questionnaire. It literally takes five minutes to complete. Although it is a short survey it proves a great way for parents to test their knowledge on their children’s social media/ phone usage habits. It will also open our eyes to see if, as parents, we are taking some of the appropriate steps we should to ensure that these usage habits are not putting our children in any form of online danger. Parents with children in the age range of 6 to 17 are encouraged to take the survey. Their responses can help create awareness to the practices that may be necessary to ensure our children’s online safety – especially when it comes to the ever growing usage of social media sites by our children. It truly becomes a concern when our children begin to socially network at a younger age, and via multiple mobile outlets that give them 24-hour access.

To complete the survey, and enter to win $100.00, just visit the ITRC’s website and click on the Do You Have Children Who Use Social Media? link or click here to take the survey directly. The survey will run through May 31, 2012. Five $100 prize winners will be announced and contacted on June 1, 2012. The survey results will be released on the ITRC website shortly thereafter.

Principal resigns amidst rumors of creating fake Facebook profile to spy on students

Tim — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:25:47 +0000

Teacher and student interaction on social media sites has been the subject of much controversy and debate. Some believe social media is an effective tool that educators should embrace, while others believe that unsupervised social interaction on sites like Facebook and Twitter are inappropriate and a recipe for disaster.

A new twist in the Social Media Vs. Education saga has surfaced in the Clayton School District located in Missouri.

Dr Louise Losos, a high school principal within the district, resigned recently after rumors circulated that she created a fake Facebook profile to spy on students. A recent graduate warned people in the community that “Suzy Harriston” was actually Dr. Losos.

The district’s chief communications officer stated, “The district and Dr. Losos had a fundamental dispute concerning the appropriate use of social media.”

Emma Riley, a high school junior who had worked on a committee with Dr. Losos, stated if Losos did pose as a student then she would “feel a violation of trust.”

A parent in the district expressed a similar sentiment. Richard Nuell believes that parents and teachers “should create bylaws to govern the use of social media by school officials and teachers.” Nuell went on to say that misleading students by using a fake Facebook profile would be “an invasion of privacy.”

The district came under fire last year after firing a well-liked coach and physical education teacher. A Facebook group was formed in support of the coach. There is speculation that Losos created the fake profile to read comments and posts in the Facebook group.

Clayton district officials are planning on meeting with teachers and students to shed some light on the situation.

Recommended Resources

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

PRIVATE WiFi® is a Personal VPN that encrypts everything you send and receive. Don’t access Facebook from a public WiFi hotspot without it.

Action Alert | Free Parental Control offers a 100% free Internet safety solution designed for parents. There is also a Maximum Protection option for parents that need a more advanced set of tools.