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Friday, June 24, 2011

'VIRUS ON FB using YOUR pictures...' - another viral Facebook Hoax

Facebook hoaxes are becoming almost as common as the scams they try to warn against. The latest hoax advises that a tagged photo of you could have a link to a devastating virus that can wreck havoc on your computer, your bank accounts and other secure accounts.

FB_pictures_hoax

"VIRUS ON FB using YOUR pictures. It says you've been tagged in a picture, wants you to click on a link to see it. Then hacks into YOUR computer & ALL YOUR ACCOUNTS including BANKING & other secure accounts. It DESTROYS YOUR COMPUTER. Once hacked into your comp; it sends e-mails to your friends… telling them they have been TAGGED in pics & starts the process again. PLEASE RE-POST URGENT..."

There are some truths that can be gleaned from the warning. The Facebook photo tagging exploit is common tool used by hackers and scammers alike. Clicking on their links can certainly lead to malware infestation. And yes, malware can virally spread from user to user via Facebook, email, etc. However, the nature and scope of the virus being described is dramatically overstated and alarming without cause. You definitely need to be aware that tagged photos can contain malware, you should also be careful on what links you click on, and you should also have a proper anti-virus software program installed on your computer.

Don't blindly repost sensational alerts like this to your Facebook friends. Some hoaxes malign companies and individuals. You don't want to be responsible for damaging the reputation of an innocent party just by automatically posting a story to your wall. It is great to spread useful information and legitimate warnings to your friends - just do a little fact finding before clicking "share."

source:http://www.facecrooks.com

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