Facebook Scams Abound

Many of us that use Facebook often, or have been subscribed for a long time, are aware that you can't trust everything that gets posted to your wall. What? You say you didn't know there were Facebook scams? If that's what you think, then you are putting your computer and data at risk.

Facebook applications are not scam free. I repeat Facebook applications are not scam free. Usually it's a newbie that falls for the Facebook scam. What happens is that a friend might have let an application have access to their Facebook contents by answering a survey. The application then will post something to the victims wall, and then also to all of their friends' walls. The app will tell your friends that you want them to try this. Once they do it goes on and on and on.

You mostly receive spam on your wall when you click on these apps, but you also could receive malware or phishing scams that get spread through a malicious Facebook application. The best rule to follow is not to click on applications even if it says a friend has recommended them.

If you access your facebook page with your cell phone, you can also be exposed to these bad applications on your cell phone.

What's the best thing to keep these applications from giving you problems? If you receive a link from a friend, check with your friend to see if they actually sent the link to you. Do not click on anything on Facebook unless you know that it is safe. Just as you wouldn't click on links you receive in email, you need to apply this same caution to your Facebook account.

Another threat is to business computers. If an employee uses Facebook at work, this poses a threat to a business's computer systems. Many companies are banning the use of Facebook on company computers. If your company does allow you to use Facebook be sure to not click on anything while at work. You don't want to be responsible for exposing your company's data to mischief, and then there is the possibility that you could lose your job.

If you do come across a malicious link on Facebook be sure to report it.

Sources:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/25/2031545/beware-of-evil-facebook-apps.html

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/203793/protect_your_network_from_facebook_malware.html