Facebook scam: U.S. Attacks Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Facebook scammers are once again exploiting ignorant victims who are just trying to keep up-to-date with what is happening around the world. This time, the claim is that World War III has started with the U.S. invading both Iran and Saudi Arabia.
This version says something along the lines of "U.S. Attacks Iran and Saudi Arabia. F*** :-(." followed by a fraudulent link. As you can see in the screenshot above, it also has the following description: "The Begin of World War 3?"
The link in question takes you to a fake CNN news webpage which claims to contain video footage of the attack. Instead of watching the claimed video, you'll be told to share the link with all of your Facebook friends. Clicking on the video thumbnail also prompts you to install an update to Adobe Flash, which is actually a virus.
The scammers' goal is to drive more traffic towards certain sites. This is how the scammer earns his or her money: a commission for every survey completed, every product purchased, and/or every account compromised. They also use them to spread malware and obtain personal information.
As a general word of caution, don't click on everything your Facebook friends share on the social network. If you see a scam like this one, report it. Then go check your own Wall to make sure you're not spreading the scam; the sooner you clean it up and Unlike any relevant Pages, the better. You can also contact Facebook Security if you'd like to.
See also:
- Facebook virus or account hacked? Here's how to fix it.
- How Facebook protects users from malicious URLs
- Facebook releases official Guide to Facebook Security
- Experts: Facebook crime is on the rise
- Sex sells: Men fall for Facebook scams more than women
- Facebook Immune System checks 25 billion actions every day