Sick-minded scammers are up to their dirty tricks again, trying to make a quick buck out of the Japanese earthquake and subsequent tsunami which has shocked people around the world.
Many people are shocked by the TV news reports, showing the devastation wrought on the people of Japan, and some of the video footage taken by media agencies and individuals in the country is truly extraordinary.
And it is against this backdrop that scammers have launched their latest campaign.
Japanese Tsunami Launches Whale Into Building
You won’t believe this! Crazy Footage!
Other versions read:
GRAPHIC VIDEO.. Japans Tsunami Sends WHALE Smashing Into A Building!
Of course, this is just the latest FouTube clickjacking attack to hit Facebook, and sure enough if you click on the link you are taken to a webpage which tries to trick you into clicking (which will silently say to all of your Facebook friends that you “Like” the page).
Will you get to see a video of a whale launched into a building by the Japanese tsunami? No, of course not.
Instead, you’re asked to complete a survey which earns commission for the scammers.
When I tried it, the survey attempted to tempt me with the offer of a purple iPad. Funny, I thought Steve Jobs only made them in black and white.
How to clean-up after a likejacking attack
If you made the mistake of clicking on a link spread via a scam message like the ones listed above, you should check your Facebook news feed and remove any offending links that you might have spammed out to your friends. Hover your mouse over the top right hand corner of the post and you should see a small “x” which will allow you to remove it.
And if you entered your mobile phone number, you should keep a close eye on your cellphone bill and notify your carrier to prevent bogus charges from stinging you in the wallet.
Remember to be wary of any links that look like this. If you really want to watch a video chances are that it’s available for free – without you having to complete any surveys – on legitimate video sites like YouTube.
Going forward, it’s essential that you stay informed about the latest scams spreading fast across Facebook and other internet attacks.
Hat-tip: Thanks toreaders Don, Rogi and Tripad who contacted us about this scam.
