Facebook scam: Justin Bieber STABBED By CRAZED Fan
Facebook scammers are once again exploiting ignorant victims with claims that Justin Bieber has been stabbed. The story is false.
This version says something along the lines of "Justin Bieber STABBED By CRAZED Fan Outside L.A. NightClub!" or "Justin Bieber STABBED By CRAZED Fan Outside N.Y.C. NightClub!" The description then says "OMG! NOOOO! Could YOU Even Imagine?!?" followed by a link to a fraudulent website, according to Sophos. As you can see in the screenshot above, the messages include a thumbnail image of a young man's back badly slashed with a knife.
Unfortunately, Bieber's fans are unlikely to check their facts before clicking on the link to discover more about the alleged attack. If they do click, they are taken to a webpage with what appears to be a YouTube video. Unsurprisingly, the scammers ask them to share the link on Facebook (to further spread the scam) and complete a survey (to earn money) before they may watch the video. The last part never happens, because again, this is all fake and there is no video.
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.
- Facebook releases official Guide to Facebook Security
- Experts: Facebook crime is on the rise
- Sex sells: Men fall for Facebook scams more than women
- Researchers invade Facebook with socialbots, grab 250GB of data
- Facebook Immune System checks 25 billion actions every day