Scam Signature Message:

In Memory of Steve Jobs, Apple has decided to give
away 1000 Limited Edition iPad 2’s
ipads4everyone.com

To celebrate the life of their founder, Apple have decided to
give away 1000 Limited Edition iPad’s to honour Steve, who
passed away yesterday.

Scam Type: Bogus Offer

Trending: October 2011

Why it’s a Scam:

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

This site requires you to share the scam message on your Facebook wall – obviously, this is how the scam is spreading from user to user. Step 2 asks you to leave a comment in the area below the instructions. Once you leave a comment, you are taken to the following page:

Here we see the typical iPad, iPhone marketing scam. These are wildly popular on Facebook. People just can’t resist the possibility of receiving a free iPad or other cool, high-end device. Like you have heard before, “if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.” No where are these words of wisdom more true!

If you read the fine print, you have to complete several sponsor offers and jump through other hoops to get the “free iPad.” Chances are, after you have completed the offers it isn’t going to be worth the iPad, assuming that part of the promotion isn’t a scam itself. (we have never had one person tell us they have actually received an iPad after completing the offers) Also keep in mind the scammers are acquiring a treasure trove of your personal data. You will be required to provide your name, address, phone numbers and date of birth. This will enable the shady marketers to not only spam your Facebook account, but also harass you via snail mail, phone calls and text messages.

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).

Be on the lookout for more marketing offers arriving to your email inbox and physical address if you submitted that information to the scammers. Also be aware and alert for possible identity theft attempts.

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.