A Facebook Scam

You know it had to happen, but it’s still depressing. We are hearing more and more stories about scams and spamming on Facebook and other social media sites. Unfortunately, you just have to be careful with all that personal data you put on those sites — it can be used against you.  See some security tips below.

Sid Kirchheimer, writing in the AARP Bulletin (yes, I am THAT OLD), profiled a Facebook scam that the victim could only watch as it unfolded.  A thief somehow hacked Bryan Rutberg’s Facebook profile and changed the passwords so Rutberg no longer controlled it.  He then posted a status update telling Rutberg’s friends he was in trouble overseas and needed money.  Some sent it to a fake address in London and into the thief’s hands.  Rutberg tried to warn his friends via his wife’s profile, but the clever thief has ‘defriended’ her, so the messages were not delivered.

Kirchheimer theorizes that Rutberg may have inadvertently downloaded a program that sent his keystrokes to the thief, who could then gain control of his accounts.  This kind of identity theft is only going to increase and it will be global.  Kirchheimer offers some very useful tips for increasing your security online:

• Don’t click on links provided in messages—even from friends—unless you check them with a phone call or off-website e-mail.

• Get program updates by going to the company’s website, not through a provided link.

• Make your Facebook account private so that only friends can see your details.

• Scan your computer regularly with an updated antivirus program

• Be suspicious of anyone—even a “friend”—who asks for money over the Internet.

Sad.  But human nature is not a thoroughly happy thing, is it?