Scam Message:

Miley Cyrus and Justin Gaston caught!!!

Scam Type: Survey Scam

Trending: October 2012

Why it’s a Scam:

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

Clicking play displays a pop up that requires you to ‘confirm’ a like about the post. This posts the message to your Facebook wall, so you will be spamming all of your friends. After confirmation, the following survey scam loads:

 ***Warning! The survey scam screen shows an X-rated photo***

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!

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.

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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.