Innovative iPhone 5 Giveaway (Facebook scam)
Facebook scammers are once again trying to pique your curiosity by leveraging your excitement about the next-generation iPhone. This time, they are trying to trick you into thinking you'll be able to get a free Apple iPhone 5, a device that hasn't even been officially announced yet.
This version says something along the lines of "iPhone 5 Giveway" or "Innovative iPhone 5 Giveaway" followed by a link that takes you to a spam site. As almost every single free giveaway for an iPhone or iPad on Facebook, these ones are fake as well. Sophos notes that it is possible to get a free Apple device in certain cases, but the fake offers are 10,000,000 times more prevalent.
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, 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, mark the email as junk. You can even contact Facebook Security if you'd like to.
As for the iPhone 5, Apple is expected to announce it later this month. I can guarantee the company will not be giving the new phone away for free.
See also:
- Crazy iPhone 5 concept video making the rounds
- Lightning strikes twice: iPhone 5 prototype lost in CA bar
- Facebook releases official Guide to Facebook Security
- Experts: Facebook crime is on the rise
- Facebook improves safety, security tools; experts not impressed
- Teenagers jailed for running "criminal equivalent of Facebook"