Facebook users are being subjected to yet another scam that claims it can tell you who has just visited your profile. This scam baits victims into installing a rogue Facebook application that creates a fake picture and tags all a users friends in it. A link in the picture takes users to the application installation page.
It’s an extremely old ruse, the bait of telling people they can see who visits your profile and when, but it always proves successful and this latest attack on Facebook users shows just that.
When a user installs the application – which requests permission to post as you and access to your photos and friends list – it quickly generates a fake photo like the one below that lists a selection of presumably random friends. However it’s the applications ability to tag a large selection of the victim’s friends in the photo which is accounting for the scams success. When a Facebook user is tagged in the photo it is available for them and all their Facebook friends to see. If the Facebook user or their friends clicks on the link attached to the photo and proceed to install the application it directs to then they will fall for the same scam as well.
The picture is produced along with a caption that implores readers click the link to see who has recently checked their profile. Such message can read Hey Checkout Who views your pr0file at –link– or LMFAO!!! SEE WHO VIEWED YOUR PROFILE!! Click Here –link–. These links lead to the application installation page like the one below –
Typical Facebook app permissions page. Note the application wants permission to post as you and access your photos.
Like many scams on Facebook a little knowledge goes a long way when it comes to avoiding them. You absolutely cannot check who views your profile and when, so any image or message claiming you can is just a scam. We have an article specifically about this type of scam here. Always be wary when installing Facebook applications. Applications that claim to do things such as enable you to check your profile views <i>will</i> be scams.
If you have fallen for this scam you need to remove the offending application straight away by following the instructions here and by deleting any photos and posts the application has made from your profile. If you have noticed that a friend has tagged you in any such photo, untag yourself to stop your friends from seeing the photo and possibly falling for the same scam. Also inform the friend who posted the photo that they need to remove the offending application. Better yet, send them a link to this article!
This is going extremely viral at the time of writing, so make sure all your friends know!
Note this scam is happening simultaneously with another that claims it can show remove your Facebook timeline.
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