Scam: Play Mario Kart on Facebook!
Facebook scammers are once again exploiting ignorant victims with claims of a free game. Anyone who has ever played Mario Kart is a potential victim.
This version says something along the lines of "Play Mario Kart on Facebook!" followed by a link to a fraudulent website. It also has the following description and is being spread via private Messages with more fabrications, according to Sophos: "Play Mario Kart on Facebook with your Friends! Join the multiplayer mayhem NOW! Click here to play" and "AWESOME!! Mario Kart is on Facebook! Use the link below to join my Team if you decide to play :) -->."
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 I've recommended before, 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 the page, the better. You can even contact Facebook Security if you'd like to.
See also:
- Facebook releases official Guide to Facebook Security
- Experts: Facebook crime is on the rise
- Facebook con artist steals $366,000 from woman
- Fraudster jailed for stealing $57,000 by leveraging Facebook
- Facebook improves safety, security tools; experts not impressed
- Teenagers jailed for running "criminal equivalent of Facebook"