Facebook users are once again being bombarded with claims that they can remove the Facebook timeline in the latest case of orchestrated spam to target the social networking site. Users are being automatically invited to events named “You Guys Can Remove Your Timeline!”.
The lure of removing the Facebook timeline is a popular one for scammers and spammers on Facebook due to the less-than-happy reception it received from many of the social networking websites users.
In May 2012 we reported on a scam that involved Facebook users being spammed with Facebook application requests. Such requests asserted to direct to Facebook apps that could remove the timeline. However instead these apps actually forced Facebook users to spam their friends with invites to install the same application, and then forwarded the Facebook user to useless survey scams.
Another very similar scam has become prevalent on Facebook this week, only this time the rogue Facebook applications are not sending out installation requests, but are creating Facebook events under the Facebook users profile and inviting all of their Facebook friends to the event. The event contains links to external websites where just like the May 2012 attack users are again urged to complete useless surveys which involve the victim giving up much of their personal information which is harvested by the survey websites. Tricking victims into completing the survey is the end game here and is how the scammers make their money. In the cases that we have seen the Facebook event is called “You Guys Can Remove Your Timeline!”.
A Facebook event that was created by a rogue Facebook application. The link leads to a survey scam
Not only does a Facebook user who installs these rogue Facebook apps end up spamming their friends with Event invites but they can also expect the application to post further spam to their Facebook Timeline which also links to survey scams. (see image below)
The apps also post spam from a victims Facebook account
As we have stated numerous times before, there is no way to remove the Facebook timeline. You can get your Internet browser to hide it from you, and we explain how to do that safely in our blog post here. However you should never install untrusted Facebook applications or software that claims you can remove the timeline.
The spamming has led to a popular viral warning message being circulated that reads –
“EVERYONE AND I MEAN EVERYONE !!!!! NEEDS TO SHARE THIS Please !!!!! IT JUST WIPED OUT A FRIENDS PC ………… IF ANYONE GETS A NOTIFICATION FROM ANYFRIENDS SAYING’ THEY HAVE ‘SENT YOU A REQUEST TO REMOVE TIMELINE’ DONT CLICK ON IT WHATSOEVER …… PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE Please .. VIRUS ALERT”
Whilst the warning is based on this real threat it is still quite inaccurate. It is rogue Facebook applications causing the spam, and has nothing to do with a virus. In no cases would this “wipe a PC” – this is just overly alarmist designed to cause panic to Facebook users who read it. The same message circulated in response to the May 2012 spam attacks as well.
If you’ve fallen for the scam you need to remove the Facebook application that is creating events and posting spam messages, remove any spam messages and delete the event that was created.
So let your friends know not to be clicking any unknown links that claim you can remove your Facebook timeline as they are scams, but also refrain from passing on inaccurate warning messages as well.
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