It seems like not too long ago, when I was a MySpace fanatic, I encountered worms, viruses, and phishing scams on a daily basis. Lately, I’ve actually noticed how much I take Facebook for granted, with the lack of phony friends and messages with “click here” links and annoying garbage. Unfortunately, that’s all about to change.
As many of you may have heard, Facebook is planning to change the layout of the homepage and branded fan pages (yes, it’s happening again). Along with these new updates come threats of potential hazards to our precious community through the form of stolen identities of friends, fans, and brands on Facebook. According to Trend Micro, Facebook has had to fend off four hoaxes over the last week that would trick users into giving out their login information. Worse yet is the aptly named Koobface worm which installs malware on computers after users click on links for phony YouTube videos.
What does this mean for you? Don’t click on links in Facebook messages, even if they come from friends. Always be cautious of messages from people you don’t know. And finally, report any suspicious messages or users to Facebook support ASAP.