Miley Cyrus’s suicide Facebook scam

Graham Cluley
Graham Cluley
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@gcluley

Miley CyrusCalm down everyone, Miley Cyrus has not committed suicide.

By all accounts, she’s alive and well. Well, she’s as “well” as Miley Cyrus ever is.

Her career, however, may have taken a turn for the worse after she brought the word “twerking” to the world’s attention after her ill-considered performance at the MTV Video Music Awards.

That hasn’t stopped many people on social networks worrying that the young starlet has killed herself, in response to the overwhelmingly negative reaction to her salacious dance routine. The concerns have been raised by messages like the following which have been shared across the likes of Facebook and Twitter.

Miley Cyrus Facebook scam

Part of the message reads:

Hollywood Superstar MILEY CYRUS committed suicide by hanging herself at her residence after a traumatic stress. Miley was rushed at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center and she was dead on arrival. MILEY recored a suicide video message for her fans. (watch more..)

-BREAKING NEWS-[R.I.P.] -MILEY CYRUS commits SUICIDE after traumatic stress –[Rest in Peace]-

As About.com points out, messages like this are spread by rogue Facebook applications which have managed to dupe your friends and family into giving them access to their social networking accounts.

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Clicking on links contained inside the message (which appear to be currently unavailable) is a bad idea, as you may end up having your own Facebook account compromised. Typically hijacked accounts will be used for spreading revenue-generating spam, such as links to survey scams.

If you are on Facebook, and want to be kept updated with news about security and privacy risks, and tips on how to protect yourself online, join the Graham Cluley Security News Facebook page.


Graham Cluley is an award-winning keynote speaker who has given presentations around the world about cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. A veteran of the computer security industry since the early 1990s, he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows, makes regular media appearances, and is the co-host of the popular "Smashing Security" podcast. Follow him on Twitter, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, or drop him an email.

3 comments on “Miley Cyrus’s suicide Facebook scam”

  1. ruth

    I attempted to click on the link from my ipad but it would
    not allow me to be redirected there. Could My facebook be
    compromised?

  2. Kat

    This "hoax" is BEYOND appalling!! As a 23
    year surviver of this horrible act, I assure you it's no
    laughing matter. This epidemic claims the lives of our children
    (bullying) friends , family members, hell… Even fathers.
    (Depression) for whatever reason .. It is a true and unbelievable
    HORROR… Congratulations scammers, for tugging at heart strings..
    And as far as "Hannah Montana" ( a born mentor )
    shame on you.. RIP.. Miley.. you are dead to me and my children and
    they are better off…may God hold you and keep you! A-fuckin-
    men!

  3. graphicequaliser

    Again, the English gives it away as a scam – "… after a traumatic stress …" is grammatically incorrect, unless you are talking about the properties of materials, as in a physics experiment!

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