Survey Scam: Your friend found a legit page that's giving away 310 Farm Cash Free.

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The Scam:
I joust found a legit page that gives 310 FarmCash for free ,for just 5 minutes , it’s here , check it + Link

Scam Type: Survey Scam, False Game Currency Offer

FarmVille players: If you see a friend post a message in your news feed like the one below, Do not fall for it. Do not click on any of the links in the messages. See Example.

Example

If you make the mistake of clicking on any of the links within this message you will be redirected to the website shown below.

Example (310 FarmCash For Free Website) - Click to Enlarge

Basically the writing on the page explains that you need to follow the given steps to receive your free farm cash from this promotion. The first 3 steps on the page are simply designed to get the "Mark" to spam his or her friends with the pages bogus claims. Once they have finished those steps, they are urged to click the 4th an final link on the page to claim their free farm cash. Clicking the final link exposes nothing more then another Survey Scam. See Below.

Example ( 310 FarmCash For Free Survey Scam )

The process above is suppose to "Qualify" you to receive the free cash offer, but sadly is nothing more then a ploy to get you to download a product or do a Survey for which a scam artist will be paid. This is not a legitimate facebook FarmVille promotion and for the record, you will never receive any game currency by this method. If you see this scam posted in your feed, do not click any of the links. See example.

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.

Free Lunch Trap For Gamers

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/free-lunch-trap-for-gamers.html

Facebook Spam

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/facebook-spam.html

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. If you've downloaded and installed any programs to your computer, it is advised that you run a full virus scan immediately. At the link provide below you will find helpful information to assist in these task, if you are not sure what to do..

Stay Virus Free

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/staying-virus-free.html

Survey Scam: Who Will Be Your Valentines This Year.

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The Scam:

My Valentines this year is going to be {Random Friends Name} :) See yours now-

+ Link

Scam Type: Rogue App, Valentines Day Con, Survey Scam

Block App Links -
( You can use the Block App links to block the facebook app from your profile. )

Rogue App URL - http://apps.facebook.com/llvhkhkn/

Block App - Fun Valentines

http://www.facebook.com/apps/block.php?id=181680785200635&action=block&source=about

Facebook Users: If you see a friend post a message in your news feed like the ones below, Do not fall for it. Do not click on any of the links in the message. See Example.

Example 1 ( Bogus My Valentine Post )- Click to Enlarge

If you make the mistake of believing this message and click any of the links, you will be redirected to a facebook application drop page. The drop page claims that you will be able to find out who your Valentines will be for this year. This is a false claim. Once you click anywhere on the image you will be asked to install a rogue app on your facebook profile. This app will do nothing more then spam your facebook friends with the same type of bogus message shown in the example above. The message it produces for you will have the name of one of your facebook friends in it however. This is because the app uses the permissions you grant it, to scan the names within your friends list. Below you can see examples of application drop page and the application request for permission screen.

Example 2 ( Bogus My Valentine Drop Page)- Click to Enlarge

Example 3 ( Bogus My Valentine App Install)- Click to Enlarge

As we can see above, the "Application Request For Permission" screen for "Fun Valentines" prompts users to give it a particular set of permission. With this set of "Permissions" it will be able to do the following:

1. Access to your basic profile information and (Anything ) you have set viewable to (Everyone).
2. Give it the ability to post ( Anything ) to your wall without asking.
3. The ability to access your listed family members and relationship status.
4. Plus the ability to access your Friends family members and relationship status.

The important thing here is that you stop and look at these application screens. You should not blindly install applications to your facebook profile. This application is requesting all of these permissions because once you click allow, the app will spam the same message you clicked on, to your wall and your friends news feeds, without your knowledge. See the example post made by this app, during this test..

Example 4 ( Bogus My Valentine Post)- Click to Enlarge

While your friends see the above messages pop up in their news feeds, (Spamming Them), you are shown that you must do a short survey, for Facebook Verification, to complete the final step in this scam. This is nothing more than a ploy to get you to download a product or do a Survey for which a scammer will be paid. This is not a legitimate process or app. It is advised that if you see this scam posted in your feed, do not click any of the links. See examples.

Example 5 ( Bogus My Valentine Survey Scam Process)- Click to Enlarge

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
http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/facebook-spam.html

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. If you've downloaded and installed any programs to your computer, it is advised that you run a full virus scan immediately. At the link provide below you will find helpful information to assist in these task, if you are not sure what to do..

Stay Virus Free
http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/staying-virus-free.html

FarmVille Warning: Farmville Hatch an Egg and Accept Truffle Warnings.

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Update: 02-11-2011
2 Rogue applications which imitate real FarmVille  post have been confirmed  by FVNation.com. One for The Rhode Island Red Mystery Egg and the other for a Black Truffle. These rogue applications are able to reproduce post which are identical to the real FarmVille post for these 2 items.

There is only 2 ways to tell the post are not made by FarmVille. They are listed below:

1. When hovering your mouse over the words "Hatch an egg" or "Claim your Truffle" you will notice in your browsers status area that the links point to applications other then FarmVille. All REAL FarmVille post point to apps.facebook.com/onthefarm/wholebunchofstuff. If you see anything other than this in a post appearing to be from FarmVille, DO NOT Follow the link.

2. Once you click the links in a fake FarmVille post you are taken to an application install screen and asked to grant a new application access to your profile. Please remember you are only asked to install the real "FarmVille" once. If you have already installed FarmVille and find yourself prompted to install another application to your profile after click what appeared to be a Real FarmVille post in your news feed, Stop! You are being asked to install a fake FarmVille application.

Via Fvnation.com ( Full Report @ Link Below )

Another New Scam, Aka Please read
http://www.fvnation.com/?p=7956


Original Report: 02-10-2011 ( This still applies to the status messages you see below )

FarmVille Players: You may see some of your FarmVille neighbors posting messages similar to the ones below as their status.

-----Example Message Type 1-----

WARNING WARNING WARNING!!! ALL FARMVILLE PLAYERS... If you click "HATCH AN EGG", "ACCEPT TRUFFLE" or anything on the newsfeed, AND it asks for you to 'ALLOW IT' .. PLEASE IGNORE AS IT IS EITHER A HACKER OR A VIRUS.. DO NOT CLICK ALLOW... REPOST PLEASE FOR OTHER PLAYERS--from a good neighbor. I got this from a trusted friend. please post this.

-----Example Message Type 1 End-----

-----Example Message Type 2-----
FARMVILLE WARNING! Please be aware that a hacker is posting Rhode Island Red eggs and black truffles to your feeds as if they are from a frriend. When you click on the egg/get truffle, you're taken to a page asking permission to access your profile info, your friends' profile info etc. This is NOT the real FarmVille. If you have already given access, please go to your apps and remove the 2nd FarmVille app.

-----Example Message Type 2 End-----

My opinion - These messages should not be reposted. If you truly want to help protect yourself and facebook friends from Rogue Facebook Applications, give them a link to the proper information. Do not do yourself or them a disservice by blindly reposting a very vague and partially incorrect status message.

Help your friends by sharing the links below..

Free Lunch Trap For Gamers

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/free-lunch-trap-for-gamers.html

Facebook Spam ( How to steer clear of Survey Scams)

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/facebook-spam.html

More Information

Via Thatsnonsense.com

Farmville Hatch an Egg and Accept Truffle Warnings

http://www.thatsnonsense.com/view.php?id=1217

Quote:

"Whilst we have yet been unable to see this potential threat first hand, our third party sources have informed us that certain messages are being circulated that bait Facebook users into clicking them by saying certain messages that Farmville players are familiar with such as "Accept Truffle" or "Hatch an Egg". Upon clicking the links in the messages (that appear in a Facebook users wall and newsfeed) users are directed to an application installation page with the usual Allow or Leave options.

If this is indeed the case, despite what the circulated message states, it would be neither a hacker nor a virus, but rather a rogue Facebook application pretending to be Farmville, where upon being installed, posts the pre-mentioned messages onto that Facebook users wall in an attempt to trick that users friends in the same way."

Phishing Scam Aimed At Chase Banking Customers.

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Chase banking customers should be on the lookout for a Phishing campaign targeting them. While going through one of my inboxes this morning I happen to find the email shown below.

Example: ( Security Alert From Chase Online ) - Phishing ( Click to Enlarge)

The email asks you to confirm/update/verify your account data at Chase by visiting the given link. If you click any of the links within the email, you will be taken to a spoofed website, http://promocionalesintegramerk.com.mx/catalogo/login.php, where your details will be captured for the phishers. The particular site associated with this phishing attempt has been taken offline. However, the cyber-criminals involved with this scam may have other emails with different links floating around.

Advice:

Chase never sends their users emails requesting personal details in this way. You should report any such emails as spam or Phishing and then delete them. Never follow the links given in unsolicited emails which claim to be from a bank and ask you to verify, update or confirm your account info.

How To Report Phishing Emails and Links

Note: If you are currently a victim of Phishing, Please change your account passwords, if you can, immediately. If you can't change your password, please contact the associated customer support for that account. Reporting the phishing site URL or Emails to the places below WILL NOT recover your accounts. You may use the sites below to report phishing emails and links. It is very important to do this as it will help stop others from becoming victims.

PhishTank

PhishTank is a collaborative clearing house for data and information about phishing on the Internet. You can submit a Phishing URL directly to them.

Main Site ( Submit as well ) (Report the Phishing URL)

http://www.phishtank.com/

US-CERT - United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team

US-CERT is collecting phishing email messages and web site locations so that we can help people avoid becoming victims of phishing scams

Main Site

http://www.us-cert.gov/index.html

Report Phishing

http://www.us-cert.gov/nav/report_phishing.html

APWG (Anti-Phishing Work Group)

The APWG collects, analyzes, and exchanges lists of verified credential collection sites, like those used in phishing. Forward the phishing email to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@antiphishing.org

Main Site 

http://www.antiphishing.org//

Report a Phish *Follow the instructions Given*

http://www.antiphishing.org/report_phishing.html

MillerSmiles.co.uk

MillerSmiles Is one of the internet's leading anti-phishing sites, maintaining a massive archive of phishing and identity theft email scams.

Main Site

http://www.millersmiles.co.uk/

Submit a Phishing Scam

http://www.millersmiles.co.uk/submit.php

Malicious Survey Scam Warning: Stay Away From Friend Buzz Photos.

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Via Facecrooks ( Full Report @ Link)
[WARNING] Friend Buzz Photos - Click here to see your top friends
http://www.facecrooks.com/safety-center/scam-watch/item/1060-warning-friend-buzz-photos-click-here-to-see-your-top-friends

Example Post Courtesy Of Facecrooks

Survey Scam Message: (The message used in this version of the scam.)

Friend Buzz Photos - Click here to see your top friends - [LINK]

Malware Warning!
The "Friend Buzz Photos" Survey Scam runs a slightly different course then most. It's a bit more elaborate, it requires an extreme amount of access to the victims facebook profile and contains malware. Stay away from it at all cost.

If you see a friend post a message similar to the Survey Scam Message above, in your news feed, Do Not Click any of the links in the message. Instead, Comment to YOUR FRIENDS POST with the "text & link" directly below, then let them know they should be more careful of the stuff they click in the future.

Facebook Spam ( How to steer clear of Survey Scams)

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/facebook-spam.html

Damage Control ( For those who have fell victim. )

If you have fell victim to any of these Survey Scams, you need to clean up your facebook profile immediately. You can do this by simply removing the posts made to your wall by the rogue app, then removing plus blocking the rogue application which is associated with the particular scam. This will ensure that you do not continue to assist the scam artist in spreading his ruse to your friends and even further throughout the facebook network. If you've downloaded and installed any programs to your computer as a result of one of these scams, it is advised that you run a full virus scan on your computer immediately. At the link provide below you will find helpful information to assist in these task, if you are not sure what to do..

Staying Virus Free

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/staying-virus-free.html

Survey Scam: Viral Valentine's Day Scam Spreads Via Facebook

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Via Sophos ( Full Report @ Link)

Valentine's Day scam spreads virally on Facebook

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2011/02/10/valentines-day-scam-spreads-virally-on-facebook/

Quote:

"With Valentine's Day approaching on February 14th, scammers on Facebook are ramping up their efforts to take advantage of the traditional day of love to make a quick buck out of unsuspecting users. Facebook users are being tricked into clicking on messages that they believe their online friends have posted, how to put a heart or love poem on their sweetheart's wall." See Example.

Example Post - Courtesy Of Sophos

Survey Scam Message:
Is there a girl/boy you really like? why not show him/her via Facebook! give him/her a Love Poem and a Love Heart straight to his/her wall! Get Started Here: [LINK]

If you see a friend post a message similar to this in your news feed, Do Not Click any of the links in the message. Instead, Comment to their post with the link below and let them know they should be more careful of the stuff they click in the future.

Comment With This Link

Facebook Spam ( How to steer clear of Survey Scams)

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/facebook-spam.html

Damage Control ( For those who have fell victim. )

If you have fell victim to any of these Survey Scams, you need to clean up your facebook profile immediately. You can do this by simply removing the posts made to your wall by the rogue app, then removing plus blocking the rogue application which is associated with the particular scam. This will ensure that you do not continue to assist the scam artist in spreading his ruse to your friends and even further throughout the facebook network. If you've downloaded and installed any programs to your computer as a result of one of these scams, it is advised that you run a full virus scan on your computer immediately. At the link provide below you will find helpful information to assist in these task, if you are not sure what to do..

Update: Staying Virus Free

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/staying-virus-free.html

Blog post updated.

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Update: New facial recognition software is being added to facebook.
http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/2010/12/note-new-facial-recognition-software.html

Update: Facebook Spam

http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/facebook-spam.html

Update: Staying Virus Free
http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/p/staying-virus-free.html

Update: The “Cold Call Tech Support" Scam
http://scamsniper.blogspot.com/2010/12/cold-call-tech-support-con.html