Facebook Scams Snare Victims With 'Freebies'
Scams offer free coffee and airline tickets
11/16/2011 | By Mark Huffman
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ConsumerAffairs.com
| ScamsIt's a good rule of thumb that whenever any of your Facebook “friends” tell you about a great free offer, it's probably a scam. The latest hot freebie scam making the Facebook founds is the free Southwest Airlines tickets scam.
The messages are being left on victims' walls, as though they are from Facebook friends.
“Aweet! i just got 2 free flight vouchers from Southwest Air to fly to any destination i can think of lmao!,” one message says. “i didnt believe it would work but it was, got it here..[LINK] try for yourself i just figured i would share with everyone.”
For the record, Southwest isn't giving away free tickets. If you were to fall for the scam and click on the link, you would be taken to a site that appears to be the official Southwest site, but is actually a rogue site set up by the scammer.
At that point, you'll be asked to allow installation of third-party software to allow you to register for the tickets. If you agree, you will download rogue software that can access your profile and post messages from your account.
Last month the hot Facebook scam was the promise of free giftcards from Starbucks. That scam has now migrated from Facebook and is being distributed through spam emails.
An email received at ConsumerAffairs.com today reads:
“Facebook Users!, Starbucks is gifting away new giftcards! Rush, Dont waste any time. Here is webpage (link) There just 332 left!!!
The rest of the scam is pretty much the same. Users are enticed into downloading an application that gives the scammer access to your Facebook account.
Cheryl Lynn Catoe (Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:25:43 +0000): read this.
Jessica Hendrickson Escobedo (Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:58:44 +0000): FB is getting out of control with all the scams. If you have clicked on any of these offers, you need to change your password ASAP!
Lisa Yukari Kashiyama (Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:23:08 +0000): I try not to allow any 3rd party from accessing my data and writing and posting status as me.
Dave Ellis (Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:14:46 +0000): I find it ironic and amusing that CA has two ads, "who scammed you" and "scam investigator" which are nothing more then, are you ready for this? a scam! That there is some great consumer protection and advertising principals.
Pat Stubbs Bonnar (Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:13:53 +0000): If it sounds too good to be true it usually is.
Domski Cameron (Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:28:28 +0000): facebook is one big scam I purchase credit chips for the zynga game site they took 5 payments off my debit card and they are ignoring my emails 6 I have sent to them.i cant even get a customer service number to call them.does anyone know how to contact facebook without sending emails thanks.im not letting them scam me its my money.
Jessica Crespo (Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:46:41 +0000): So I guess my question is...If I have clicked on one of these scams and an outside party now has access to my facebook. How do I go about restoring the security of my account without deleting the whole thing?