Mar 19, 2009 12:00 pm US/Eastern
Hackers Use '419 Scam' To Target Facebook Friends
MIAMI (CBS) ―
-
-
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The social networking site Facebook is used by millions of people around the world so it shouldn't come as a big surprise that computer hackers have figured out a way to use the site to try and scam people out of money, CBS station WFOR-TV reports.
Facebook has a name for the latest scam, it's called the "419" scam and works like this: A hacker takes over a users' identity and sends messages to the users' friends. The messages claim that the user is stuck in London or another foreign city, after being mugged of their cash, credit cards and phone and requests friends to wire money so the user can get back home.
While the Facebook messages are coming from the users' accounts, they aren't being sent by the users. The scammers have actually hijacked the identities of real people known to Facebook members, asking for money from friends.
The "419" scam messages can come in both Facebook-based IM's and in E-mail and often include personal details to make the messages appear authentic.
In order to protect yourself from this type of social-networking scam, don't ever send money to someone who contacts you over the internet, unless you are one-hundred percent positive of who they are. In addition, you should try to contact the person outside of the social-network by phone. Facebook also wants users to contact the site if they come across suspicious messages.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Shocking Celebrity Suicides
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments