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[Craig]

There has been a number of spam posts and messages that try and trick users into taking surveys that earn commission for the perpetrators. It will usually take the form of a message/post that requires you to either grant access to a third party application or clicking the "Like" button of a fake account, in order for you to be able to view or access the story. This will normally grant the perpetrators access to your friends/contacts list so they can then continue to spread the spam to your friends list, but making it look like you have sent it, in an effort to give the message some level of credibility.

As there has been a number of them recently, and some resurface again after a period of time has passed, I thought it may be better to contain them in the one thread to make it easier to identify them and offer a single point of reference for those members who are not sure, or think a message that they have received maybe just such a ploy to get them involved in this fake survey scam.

They will be posted in this thread as and when I or anyone else comes across them, please feel free to warn others in this thread if you yourself come across any more that aren't listed or mentioned here 

You can also join the Sophos group on Facebook HERE to learn about the many different scams which are spreading, and share warnings with your online friends.

Sohpos have made showing you how to clean your account after falling victim to such a scam. You can view it HERE.

[Craig]

Free Farm Cash

It's a scam to entice users to complete commission earning surveys. Users who click through for the offer have to grant permission for a third party application, which will then access your contacts list and continue spreading the message, which to your contacts, looks like it's you that sent the message, and so it replicates. The ultimate goal is to get people to complete surveys, earning commission for the those behind the spam attack.

SOPHOS Security have more information and screen-shots of this latest scam on their security blog HERE.

[Craig]

SOPHOS Security have identified yet another SURVEY SCAM, this one being spread with message "OMG Miley Cyrus is caught smoking a BONG on video " with a link attached.

[Craig]

Prank that ends in tragedy

There's a message being spread on Facebook enticing people to see a video of a prank that ends in tragedy, it is actually another survey scam, the willing viewer is instructed to download/let an application have access to their account in order to be able to view a the video, but instead it leads to a commission earning survey and the message can then be spread again via their contacts list.

[Craig]

"I can't believe a GIRL did this because of Justin Bieber"

A message with the title "I can't believe a GIRL did this because of Justin Bieber" spreading via Facebook is another of the attempts to get recipients to complete commission earning surveys. SOPHOS Security's Senior Security Advisor Chester Wisniewski has published details of this threat along with screen shots HERE.

[Craig]

Father and Daughter on Chat Roulette

A message containing a description of a conversation between Father and Daughter on Chat Roulette. To view the link you must get download an application, this application then replicates this message and spams all contacts in your friends list. The application then attempts to make or entice users to complete a revenue generating survey.

[Craig]

Free Tickets - Not a survey scam but a premium rate phone number scam

There are two "free ticket" offers being reported on Facebook, from Delta Airlines and Jet Blue Airways, they are not from the companies stated, and users wishing to follow up on this offer are asked to install one of two applications, named either Jet Blue Family or Free Delta Tickets.

You will then have released your profile information, so then that offer appears on your account as if you were also promoting it, and users will try and be coerced into signing up for a premium rate phone service.

[Craig]

Dislike Button

If you have, or should receive, the following message,

I just got the Dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts lol!!

Don't click the link, if you do your account will be used to spam your contacts with the same message, you then have to complete a survey in order to be able to get the button, this then makes money for the perpetrator of the scam before leading to a download link for a Firefox add-on called Face Mod, not thought to be attached to the scam in anyway.

There are various sources reporting this, however the most comprehensive report and demonstration of this is on Graham Cluley’s Sophos Blog HERE.

[Craig]

"Girl killed herself, after her dad posted this to her wall"

SOPHOS Security have identified another one HERE, this time though, in order to see the "message" you have to click the "Like" button on a Facebook page you get directed to after clicking the link in the spam message.

[Craig]

Edited to alter the first post to link to a video Sohpos have made showing you how to clean your account after falling victim to such a scam.

You can view it HERE.

[Craig]

Sophos have identified another survey scam, this one offering you an email address with the "@facebook.com" domain. The messages read;

Just got my own email @facebook.com! Quickly get one before someone takes your name [LINK HERE]

For more details on this, and help on how to clean your account if you, or anyone you know of, has falling victim to this type of scam, read the full article HERE.

[Craig]

Sophos Security have released details of yet another attempt.

This one is posted on peoples "walls" with the title "Hey, [name]!! What the heck are you doing in this video! LOL". the link the post contains leads to bogus Facebook log-in page.

You can see the report, along with screen shots, in full HERE.

[Craig]

Sophos Security: "Girl Falls Into Fountain While Texting"

Whilst the clip of a girl falling into a fountain whilst walking and texting on her phone is genuine, Facebook messages inviting the recipient to view the video are not. It is yet another attempt to trick the recipient into taking commission earning surveys and then spreading it further via their friends list.

You can read the full report on this, including screen shots on the Sophos blog HERE.

[Craig]

Sohpos Security: Changing the zodiac signs

Another survey scam has been exposed by Sophos, this one is a message stating that the signs of the Zodiac have been altered and inviting the recipient to click through to find out there new sign.

You can read the report, along with screen shots HERE.

[Craig]

Sophos Security have released details of another rogue application currently being circulated around the social networking site. This one is via messages inviting the reader to find out about their total profile views via a shortened URL. Again this is another ploy to get people to complete commission earning surveys for the perpetrator.

You can read the warning in full, illustrated via screen shots and a short video HERE.