Scam: I was logged into Facebook for XXXX hours in 2010

Spam messages are spreading across Facebook claiming to be from users who have calculated the total hours they spent on the social network during 2010.

Would you be tempted to find out how long you had spent on Facebook in the last year? Well, I would be cautious if I were you as you could find yourself assisting scammers who are using rogue applications to make themselves a quick buck.

Typical messages read:

I was logged into facebook for XXXX hours in 2010!

Check yours @ [LINK]

or

I spent a total of XXXX Hrs on Facebook in 2010 WOW. What are your hours like? I found out from [LINK] …Enjoy!

If you click on the links you will be taken to a third-party application permissions dialog. As with legitimate Facebook applications, this app needs your permission to access information on your profile. Unfortunately this rogue application is not interested in calculating the real number of…

Read more in my article on the Naked Security website.

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Graham Cluley •   @gcluley

Graham Cluley is a veteran of the cybersecurity industry having worked for a number of security companies since the early 1990s when he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows. Now an independent analyst, he regularly makes media appearances and is an international public speaker on the topic of cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. Follow him on Twitter, Mastodon, Bluesky, or drop him an email.