Today on Facebook many users are spreading a message which claims to link to a picture that caused a mother to be sent to jail.
OMG!! Guys, you have to see this: This mother went to jail for taking this pic of her son! —> http://is.gd/dzFCc
However, if you click on the link you are taken to a Facebook page which tricks you into sharing the link with all of your online friends with the promise of seeing the “OMG!!” picture.
The following video explains in more detail what happens if you make the mistake of clicking on the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGBlfM9e0Js
The page is quite insistent, by the way, that you should share the link with your Facebook pals.
As usual, the people behind this promotion are more interested in you sharing their link around (which will help them earn some survey commission and benefit those behind the surveys as they grab your personal information) than actually showing you anything of interest.
I really feel like despairing that the general public will ever learn to avoid dodgy links like this. Far too many people are prepared to endorse and share links on Facebook without properly thinking about what they are doing. In this case they’re doing it before they have any clue about what lies behind the page.
If you or your Facebook friends are falling for tricks like this, it’s time to get yourself informed of the latest threats.
Update: I’m also seeing messages spreading a very similar scam virally via Facebook claiming that McDonald’s might shut down:
OMG!! McDonalds might soon shut down because of this, you have to see this! –> http://is.gd/dzFvo
Clicking on the link to see “why McDonald’s might soon shut down” takes you to another Facebook page which promises to make your “jaw drop to the floor”.
Facebook’s security team has been informed about both of these attacks, and we hope they will be shut down soon. But doubtless there will be plenty of others to take their place, so stay on your guard.
Be careful out there folks.
