Facebook responds to massive phishing scheme

LOL... what was all that headlines the last few days about the first time ever Facebook getting more Internet traffic than Google?

This is the reason why. I was already laughing when I read the headlines, this only makes me laugh harder. I was receiving so many emails from "friends" I don't know on Facebook and emails trying to help me with Facebook when I didn't even know I needed help.

That's not what the article was referring to Rick...maybe you should look over it again.

I think the fact that the email starts with 'Hey' makes it pretty obvious it is not official.

I'd be more worried that Facebook changed my password than anything else. That would give it away. No website with whom I have an account should EVER EVER change my password without having authorized it myself through the website directly.

Gmail has been blocking these emails and leaving them on the server. Kudos!

I getting mail that says "YOU TUBE" don't open it Delete it from your inbox, and warn your friends

FYI

I got an email from a Nigerian prince who promised me 20 percent of 10 million if I could help him transfer the cash. I'm so excited! All I had to do is give him my ss# and bank account info. Talk about a lucky break!

I got the same e-mail in my HOTMAIL account. They were more "respectful", addressing it to "Dear Ellan".
They said that "to my request" they were going to reset my password, then providing a link to do that.
Everything looked exactly as the real HOTMAIL e-mails, but I hadn't requested any password resetting, so I deleted it.
So be careful because it's not only on Facebook that this is happening.
Thanks Doug for the warning.

Has anyone ever thought of logging in to check first?!

Good For you Russell...

if you're dumb enough to click on the link, you deserved to be phished

Well better late than never. I have been getting no less than 10 fake Facebook emails a day for the last six months. In fact, if anything, they have tapered off lately.

Congrats Russell, and if you need any help spending that money give me a call. Just think, out of the billions of people on this planet, a real PRINCE is asking little ol' you for help. WOW.
And to Kei....that is the best, most common sense thing to do: try loggin on to see if it still works or not.

I love John's mom

I have a spam filter that puts these emails in my junk folder. Thank God for Postini. I get those emails all the time and delete them. We just have to stay smarter than the hackers out here. Keep your eyes open and pay attention. That is the biggest key to the whole game. Just wish facebook would act better than it does. Glad to have it. Keeps me in touch.

i dont FB

Why can't I "post" or "share" this on Facebook? Where's that cute little FB button that lets me usually share interesting CNN articles? Hmmmmm......

I've never had a single phishing email through all my years on the internet. Who do you people give your email to anyways? Even my junk email address that I have to keep all the junk seperate never had one sent to it.

(I hope everyone knows I was kidding.)

I have to say, either you get a virus checking on add's or you get trojan's from links, or message containing a video . Seems facebook can not keep all the hackers, virus attachment's off their program. Maybe its time facebook gets a better person running their security on their sight. Maybe a stronger system that is protected more.

I have been offered the unique opportunity to sell Amway.

well, the reason these phishing schemes work is because.. well they work. i mean, if they didn't work, we would stop getting them, but people must still be clicking on the links and such.

It just baffles me that people won't think, humm, maybe i should actually log into and see if there are any notifications and make all changes from there.

You guys are funny...... you actually have someone complaining about not getting any phishing....... Hey DirtyBob can you tell who is your firewall? Trust me... once you get one... you will never complain again...lol.... thanks CNN. P

oops didn't mean to put my real name.... nix that...

NO ONE can stop all hackers, virus attachments, etc – that's not a Facebook issue. Apparently there are more than enough people who have NO life of their own, and therefore have all kinds of time to hack into ours to try to have one! Unfortunately our need/desire to know/see/hear/have access to every bit of information about everything only gives them more and more opportunities to get to us.

Hey Russell, that Nigerian prince of your yours must have had other rich relatives 'cause I received the same eMail. Tough to decide how/where to now spend all that $$$. LOL !! LOL !!

How can you people be so stupid? This is an old scam used many times with many companies. Wake up or throw out your computer if you aren't smart enough to handle your own email!

To be honest, Facebook Sucks Either Myspace is too.

I also got the Nigerian prince email. The sad part was it was all one paragraph, and I found at least 3 spelling/grammar mistakes. You would think they would proof read it before sending it out. The fact that it was only one paragraph also showed they lacked intelligence.

I cancelled my Facebook account a long time ago. My real friends do weird old fashioned stuff like knock on my door, phone me, email me ... and I like it.
What's more they don't need a password to do it.

Facebook should definitely be sued. It's (I guess) okay to suddenly change the user password to log in, but it's another thing to have them find the password in a page with a password stealer. It's a good thing I'm not on Facebook, and never did Facebook. I hope the makers/administrators of Facebook go to jail for at least 10 years.

There must be a lot of Nigerian princes.
I get emails from different ones nearly every day. No wonder there is a financial crisis. All the money seems to be in Nigeria...

Anybody who clicks on such a link should be prohibited by law to ever touch a computer again.

Andrew,
"...but it's another thing to have them find the password in a page with a password stealer."

I think you misunderstand the way this technology works. The password stealer doesn't allow access into the page itself. It records the keystrokes as you type them. When you click the link, the malware installs itself and records your strokes and sends them to the hacker. This isn't something they can prevent, but you can... by not clicking the link.

What is Facebook?

Andrew – "Facebook should definitely be sued" and "I hope the makers/administrators of Facebook go to jail for at least 10 years." Why? FACEBOOK is not the one sending the email, they are a victim in this as well. So why should they get sued and the makers/ admins go to jail over something they did not do. Perhaps you might want to rethink your approach here.

It's happening with Norton too, I got an email from "Norton from Symantec.com" telling me my account was expired and my computer was unprotected, click here to renew my subscription. Nice try, but symantec.com is the only site for Norton as far as I know.

By saying that Facebook should be sued, Andrew demonstrates that he doesn't understand how phishing works and is probably one of the reasons why phishing continues.

somebody changed my daughters password so she can not get on her face book anymore please help us my email is momecohen@gmail.com thank you Elisa Cohen

If I had five cents for every email I have received over the past few years from someone purporting to be Nigerian with access to money they want ME to have, I could retire in style with about a half a dozen friends ... the internet is the last frontier for wild west type of outlaw activity. Hope the cybercops get better at getting these troublemakers ... and fast!

i love the world of news

My favorite facebook scam is getting random friend invites from "hot babes" that you've never heard of and have no mutual friends.
I got one from a "Sheryl Shield" who was so blonde she claimed she was a Maxim/FHM magazine. Not a model...a magazine...and she just wanted to be friends with me because I just seemed sooooo cool.
Inevitibaly of course, they want you to check out their 'hot pix" or webcam for only 9.95 a minute.

Someone Tuesday haked my neice's hotmail password and sent a message that after a trip to london they were mugged and needed money immediately to pay for the hotel as the manager would not let them leave. Called my Sister and confirmed that my neice was at home.

Well,thanks for informing us....

sophacello: I'm sure you didn't mean it to come across as you being lazy, but, the easiest way to share a link on Facebook is to do it the old fashioned way. Here are 4 easy steps that you and anyone else can use to share a web article – with or without the 'Share on Facebook' shortcut.

1) Select the URL. Press and hold the Ctrl key while you press the C key. (Also known as the Ctrl+C keyboard shortcut on Windows.) If you have a Mac, it's Command+C.

2) Login to your Facebook account.

3) Update your status. Choose the 'Insert Link' button and paste the URL (copied in step 1 above). To paste, use the Ctrl+V keyboard shortcut on Windows (or Command+V on a Mac).

4) Press the Submit button. You have just successfully shared this CNN article with the rest of your FB friends.

To st00p1d and anyone else who is unable to manage simple thought processes:

The idea that anyone who gets hoodwinked by these scams somehow "deserves to get phished" is positively Victorian.

The days of "caveat emptor" (buyer beware) should be behind us by now.

Victims of anything are never "deserving" of their fate. That's about as intelligent as saying that women who look attractive "deserve" to be raped.

Get yourself a brain and then use it. Today you may laugh and point the finger at someone you consider a poor sap. Understand that tomorrow that poor sap will almost certainly be you – and then you'll sing a totally different song, but by then it will be too late.

To weary facebook users, some things you should know. Companies disable accounts if they are worried about the safety of the account, like if their is supsicous traffice/postings or attempts to scam friends for money. Companies will never send you a new password unless you ask them too, and then it isn't your current password, they send a new temporary password that will then require you to change it before you get to your page. Also, as someone else pointed out, the email's will be professional, not using casual language such as "hey!"

Im getting a nervous twitch from all this password stuff!!!!

hey, I'm trapped in a hotel. I have no money and need to get back home. If someone would kindly wire me some money/transfer to my bank account I could get home to my cash and pay you guys back. Please I need help!
Sincerely,
Trapped in a hotel

The real problem is that the tech provided by vendors is not secure and can not be made secure because of special interest groups and profit motives. Why should a web site be able to run privileged code on my computer when I restrict my self to a non-admin ID? Why should a movie be able to start ADMIN SVCHOST processes when I am using a non-admin ID? A lot of people will say I need to do better at securing my PC, but the FBI says almost every company in the world has been hacked. All of the Fortune 100 have been hacked and they have huge budgets for security. We are doomed.

A good tip is to create a strong password, and not to believe at all the mails you get although it is from a company you know.
I am using http://www.sbsh.net/apps/safewallet its help me remember and generate passwords, it is great, give it a try

I forgot my password and can't post this message without it.

so what is that screenshot of? swore I saw that the other day and my prefs are set to english. ALSO:

what is with the 'your email cant be verified button'? my email is valid. its been updated already. stop asking me on daily basis.

infected with worms id say. and Linus doesnt get worms.

[...] Attn Facebook users: Gone Phishing....... The password that got away. [...]

Hello, I'm got kicked very hard in London and now my passport is stuck in my anus. Please send your Facebook user name/password so I can send this message to your friends and receive the moneys. Then, I'll be able to return home where my girlfriend will rub me happily ever after.

After YEARS of waiting I finally got an email from a GENUINE nigerian prince too. Lucky me.

lololololololol wow

Facebook is a complete waste of time.
All the unimportant sh.t people feel the need to tell you...it's incredible.
I cancelled my facebook account months ago.

I've received this fraudulent e-mail and others at around the same time claiming to be from UPS about an undelivered package. I believe that the same phishers are responsible for both.

Hi mike

What is funny, is that the same people will fall for the joke all over again.

thx very much for letting us know about hackers. i have really learnt alot from this article.

This is right up there with the official looking pop-up "your system has been infected by a viras, please click on this link to clean your system" Funny thing is people keep clicking. There is an old wood working saying that can be applied here, Measure twice and cut once. Or in this case Think twice before you blindly click away.

thanks jst got one fake email today.......

on march 19 i had vanished from facebook. nothing. could not log in. what happened?

i bet al gore didn't see all this crap coming when he was inventing the internet. sure hope he's thought through global climate warming cooling change a little more carefully.

i don`t care hackers...i even like it if someone see what i have on my pc...have nothing to hiden....LOL
everybody is welcome...hahaha

i mean its not for Rick.. its for Rusell of Hollywood

hey sysop
$$$$ sent..

@shaz, obviously you don't have the technical proficiencies to understand the ramification of Internet communications affect generated by spams, scams, and phishing out breaks.

@Russell Hammond, only $10M? Same guy offered me $250M. I think he must favor me over you. LOL

It is clear by reading these comments that Rick2010 needs a girlfriend.

[...] Facebook responds to massive phishing scheme Facebook has responded to a an apparently massive attempt to steal passwords from its users. "There's [...] [...]

[...]  For the full story, click here. [...]

Anyone falling for that illiterate phishing email must be dumber than a doornail.

I donot understand why americans will not help me to recover my funds. i was sure Russell would help me.

As Bing Crosby once sang: Gone phishing, there's a sign up on the door......

What about the dozens of emails about joining the group "Download movies"? I have even received this invite from myself despite not opening any of these messages.

i lost my job do to being on FB at work. Now i hate them.

Not Happy lost their job because they're an idiot and are mad because its FB's fault they were surfing when they knew they shouldnt? Righty-o. People like you are why Dimebag was killed.

The world of the internet is used and enjoyed by all kinds of people all over the world, most of them are not IT techies and similar to cars, they know how to drive them (more or less) but dont necessarily know how they work or how to fix them. The damage and cost to unsuspecting ordinary people resulting from Nigerian type scams or virus or phishing attacks is considerable and criminal. In many cases these criminals manage to drain the life savings from inocent people and in the case of viruses cause irreparable damage to equipment that they can ill afford to repair or replace. I too do not understand how the international community can allow these criminals to operate without much more stringent controll, prosecution and penalties!

While this is good information, it still does not prevent attacks like this...please see the video I put together in regards to myspace and facebook along with other website security and how hackers can easily bypass security thus gaining your username & password.. http://www.screencast.com/t/ZTI5ZTMxZWI

If people are stupid enough to fall for this type of phishing scheme, then their accounts need to be stolen.

How many times do people need to told, DO NOT GIVE YOUR USER ACCOUNT INFORMATION OUT TO ANYONE or WE WILL NEVER E-MAIL YOU ASKING YOU FOR ACCOUNTINFORMATION.

These stolen walls should be replaced with an I'M AN IDIOT WITH NO COMMON SENSE.

Ama jee,

Make sure you do not open any links.

Thanks,

Farhan

Hmm, I received the email, opened the attachment, and nothing happened. How exactly does this Linux virus work? I assume everyone is using Linux. What's all the worry?

"Why should a web site be able to run privileged code on my computer when I restrict my self to a non-admin ID?"

Define privileged code...

same here ellan i got the same email in my hotmail account too a few days ago. i ALMOST replyed to it, but i deleted it i dont trust that stuff. the only people that know my passwords are myself and i dont give it out to anyone...

At least Facebook runs off of PHP, a more secure programming language.
I hate to say it's your fault, but it is. Most ads that say your computer is infected with a virus and that you need to click there to fix it, but those ads look so FAKE. Please just be aware, don't get hacked.

I've been getting quite a few spam phishing hoax messages claiming to be from Pay Pal. All I ever do about messages asking me to provide new account information is go to what I KNOW is the legitimate provider website and ask them about it. I never, ever, click on a link or open an attachment on this type of message. What's really funny is the message I got last weekend purporting to be from paypal. When I looked at where it came from, it was a Careerbuilder e-mail account, which undoubtedly was a fake too. They apparently forgot to change their fake return e-mail address before sending out the spam.

I delete all friend requests now. If I don't know you, you get denied. Period. Who are all these yahoo's anyway wanting to be my friend??? lol

I think the Nigerian Princes must have gotten their riches through Craigslist...which they seem to have an endless pile of fake checks and money orders to send to buy anything you list that is worth more than a buck.

That and those princes all have connections to a courier who is nice enough to come out and even pick it up at their expense...plus those awesome bonus bucks they want to pay you for such an inconvenience.

yall are all gay get a life

Too funny.. I've been getting these emails with the Bredolab trojan for darn near a year and it takes until NOW for facebook to notice.
It comes in many forms: your [insert service here] password has been reset, your order has been shipped via [insert shipper] – details enclosed. etc..

Its always the same. Symantec is clueless for about a week, and Avast for about 3 days. I reverse it in a forensic env and its almost always a variant of Bredolab.

Epic Fail

Just be carefull that's all.
http://www.retractableearpiece.com

I tride resetted my password like it says a few time, but nothing happends so its a scam. dont belive evrything you read.

spoofing

If these scammers and hackers would expend their energy trying to do good for mankind rather than cause problems the world would be a much better place.

arthur ur mom

Obviously the current punishment or chance of being caught is not enough to deter the phishing scammers and virus writers.

Maybe additional incentive... yakuza their fingers for each offense.

This gives them 10 chances to reform... at the end of 10 times being involved in cyber hacking, phishing, virus writing, then they'd have to rely on voice commands to type in viruses or phishing scams....

There must be some incentive for them to stop... we just need to find that incentive that gets their attention....

If they don't mess around, they'll be having 8 fingers and 2 thumbs for a very long time...

Just a suggestion...

You have to living under a rock to fall for any of those scams! BTW, Facebook will be the end of Google. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Some people are just so gullible. I really don't understand it, but I wish I did.

Last week, my FB account got hacked. I'm an IT guy and I know I didn't fall for the phishing attachment.

A few days before I was showing my dad one of the Paypal phishing emails and explaining how the addresses & URLs looked different even though the email itself looked official.

If it were phishing that got me, it would have had to be another IE or Safari window that looked just like the real FB login. And even that I would usually be suspicious of.

I'm still not sure how they did it. Maybe a nefarious FB app? After I got control of my account back, I removed almost all the FB apps that had access or were not created by FB themselves.

Unfortunately, FB disabled my account a few hours later. I can't say I blame them for disabling it but I'm hoping I can get it back.

What's interesting is that these type of scams have been going on for so long, but you never hear about any of these hackers getting caught or prosecuted.

My facebook email said they'd share the Osama bounty if I just clicked their attachment....$10 million richer! Facebook rocks!

I gave a nigerian diplomat my bank account and routing number, social security number, mother's maiden name, drivers license number and place of work...he is wiring me $38 million from an inheritance...only cost me two grand for him to do the paperwork...nothing yet,,,in looking at the info I sent, I misspelled the street my word address is at...hope I didn't confuse him...I have full trust...he told me his brother was the Pope...need the $$$$ pretty soon...I ordered a loaded BMW for pick up next Tues...going real estate shopping in Fla...can't wait...good things just seem to happen to me...because I'm not a LOSER!!!

I received an email telling me I won the European lottery...my name was the only one drawn from all the names of everyone in north and south America, Europe and Asia...lucky girl , no...need to borrow $5000 for paperwork processing to get my $78 million winnings...I got $3000...anyone want in...get me $2000 and I 'll give you 10% interest!!!.Better than a CD...and it's guaranteed...

serisoly you guys have no life. i just randomly came across this page. and i actually read it, and wah you guys are arguing about the dumbest thing in the world. come on now its facebook. Any one that uses facebook or myspace doesnt have a life. Why dont you kids go outside and enjoy the weather. Back when i was a kid we played with sticks and stones. Or BALL-IN-A-CUP. Get off the computers and go outside and play. The generations of teenagers are just getting worst and worst as the world goes on.

I got an email saying I won $400 in the Spanish State Lottery! Now it's time to give them my SSN, electronic signature, and power of attorney, and then sit back and wait for the check!

I actually had someone trying to swindle money out of me through a friends account on facebook's IM. I played along to get a rise out of the guy, the funny part was he actually got mad at me, using curse words and such. I thought it was hilarious, but my friends account was still hacked which is no bueno.

Ahhhh gotta love winblows huh...its nice to use MAC and Linux were ya really dont have to worry about this crap...yes there are viruses for mac but ..well c'mon now there unix/linux based...can say all ya want about facebook security but its really windows security

Who uses FB anyways?....Security is much tighter in networks such as Linkedin, Asmallworld, Spire, Elixio and Gilt...

You can send an email to 1000 people and say "If you open this you may win $10,000 or get the worst computer virus ever created."
How may do you think would open it????? Quite a few I would wager.

[...] has been much in the news lately, from phishing, to botnets, ATM hacking, stock price manipulation and hacking cars, to mention but a few of the [...]

Malicious Facebook app developers take advantage of what Facebook users want:

http://idaconcpts.com/2010/03/18/what-facebook-users-want/

Many variations of phishing scams are based on the law of reciprocity: give somebody something they want and they willingly will give up their privacy rights (e.g. "find out who's following you!").

Why do people do this anyway? What are they gaining from it???

I am never asked to sign in with acccount name or password anymore. I just get there. Odd.....

A company is not supposed to be able to read your password, anyhow. Your username, yes; your password, no.

I have a Mac so I don't understand this virus and malware thing you speak of.

sanal tur this virus and malware thing you speak of.

I am never asked to sign in with acccount name or password anymore. I just get there. Oddporno

with acccount name or password anymore. I just get there. Oddporno

I just get there. Oddporno

Why do people do this anyway?....cialis

Some people are just so gullible. I really don't understand it, but I wish I didsikiş

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