The Scam:
Live News :Summertime Theme Park ACCIDENT!! 32 PPLZ found dead !!! Live News feed are going on + [ Link ]
Summary:
Facebook users may notice some of their friends posting a message with the words "Live News :Summertime Theme Park ACCIDENT!! 32 PPLZ found dead !!! Live News feed are going on" and a attached link. The messages are not posted by your friends, but by a Rogue app they have been tricked into installing, under the impression that they are going to see a live feed of a theme park accident, which has been covered up by mainstream media. The Rogue application "Fact News" does nothing more than Spam your wall, without your knowledge, with aforementioned bogus messages and links once you "Allow or Install" it on your facebook profile. The end game is you must fill out surveys or download products to view the blocked content. This is a Survey Scam. DO NOT CLICK THE LINKS IN THE MESSAGES OR INSTALL THIS APP IF YOU SEE IT POSTED IN YOUR NEWS FEED BY A FRIEND.
Scam Type: Rogue App, Clickjacking, Survey Scam, Locked Content
Block App Link - ( You can use this to block the facebook app from your profile. )
The Break Down
Facebook users may notice some of their friends posting a message similar to the example below. DO NOT CLICK THE LINK given in the post.
Example
If you get drawn in by this message and click the link that is provided you will be transferred to the "Application Drop Page" screen you see below.
Example
If you get drawn in by this picture, the text claiming this will show you what other networks have covered up and click the image on this screen, you will be directed to the "Application Request for Permission" screen you see below.
Example
At this point you are asked to give an application named "Fact News" the requested permissions. It ask for quite a lot of access to your profile. It is very important that you stop and look at these application screens and not allow applications which you know nothing about to have this kind of access to your profile. This particular set of "Permissions" will allow this app access to your basic profile info, give it the ability to post to your wall without asking and the capability to do all of the aforementioned things even when you are not using the app. This application is requesting all of these permissions because once you click allow, the following message will be posted to your wall without your knowledge and you haven't even been shown what was promised in the original message.
Example
While your friends see the above messages pop up in their news feeds, (Spamming Them), you are shown that you must now complete a Survey "To view the blocked content" to continue. Sadly this is simply a ploy to get you to download a product or do a Survey for which the scammer will be paid.. You will not be able to continue until you complete one of them. It is advised that you do not continue. See example.
Example (Click To Enlarge)
Special note on this scam. If you try to navigate away from the surveys by closing the tab or your browsers window you will be prompted by the following screen.
Example
The message seems to imply that you should stay and help keep this Spam free on facebook. lol, Yea, the spam is free on facebook, and right now you want to get away for this free spam. I advise that you do not do so by clicking any of the options given to you. This could be a malicious trap. If you are in this situation, where a page is trying to hold you captive, exit your browser completely by doing the following.
- Hit the key combination "Ctrl+Alt+Delete"
- Now in your windows "Task Manager", under the "Processes Tab", find the name of your "Browser" and select it with your mouse.
- Finally Click the "End Process" button. This will close your browser for you.
It is important that you never hand over any personal information, such as: email addresses, cell number, name, home address or credit card numbers, to these types of scams. If you do, you are simply setting yourself up to be spammed or worst. Identity theft is big business and handing over some of the info these bogus surveys ask for, will make you a victim of that business. If you have made the mistake of handing over a credit card number, you should call your bank or credit provider as soon as possible to have them remove or dispute the charges that have or maybe made to the card. If you've given your cell number to any of these types of Scams, it is important that you call your cell carrier ASAP to have any charges you may receive stopped. If you begin to receive unsolicited phone calls, you should take note of the calls, record names and numbers, then report the calls to the FCC or other proper authorities..
Read here to learn how to avoid these types of scams on facebook.
Facebook Spam
Damage Control ( For those who have fell victim. )
If you have fell victim to any of these scams, you need to clean up your facebook profile immediately by removing the posts they made to your wall and then removing plus blocking the rogue application that you may have install to your facebook
Stay Virus Free
About Black Knight
I am a computer repair technician with over 15 years experience and have been computer security and information privacy enthusiast for the last 4 years. I've helped literally thousands of individuals fix their issues by offering help through various blogs and Facebook pages. I like teaching myself and others new things, and believe in freely sharing knowledge.
Mahalo, Scam Sniper you make it easy to help everyone protect themselves from being hurt by these scam artists. Mia
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