Facebook Messenger Scam Affects Users In Over 80 Countries

According to security researchers in Singapore, cybercriminals have launched a massive Facebook Messenger scam in at least 84 countries to harvest users’ log-in credentials.

The analysts said that scammers are distributing ads that promote an allegedly updated version of Facebook Messenger for users to download. To trick people, the ads feature Facebook’s real logo and deceptive URLs that could be easy to miss (spelling “Messanger” instead of “Messenger,” for instance). And of course, any user who clicks through will likely have their data stolen. The researchers found that over 1,000 accounts are involved in promoting the scam in countries including the United States, Germany, Canada, France, and dozens more.

For its part, Facebook said it that it has zero tolerance for bad actors abusing its platform, and that it will do whatever it takes to crack down on this sort of behavior.

“The safety and security of our users is always our top priority and we are investigating this matter,” a Facebook spokesperson said. “We have a zero-tolerance policy to scams on our services and take immediate action to remove illegal activity as quickly as possible, and strongly encourage users to report any suspicious activity.”

The fact that this scam has gone global so quickly is certainly a cause for concern for the social media giant. Here’s hoping Facebook listens to these researchers and acts fast before it affects even more users.




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