Why not to trust facebook

November 26, 2008 (Computerworld) Every form of communication, from snail-mail to e-mail, chat and others, is subject to fraud and scams. But social networks like Facebook are subject to new, more dangerous opportunities for fraud.

With e-mail and IM spam and Internet scams, the whole social-engineering game is to get you to trust a stranger. But social networks are different. The goal there is to get you to believe the fraudster is a friend whom you already trust.

If you're on Facebook, you've no doubt got a bunch of friends. And if you're like most Facebook users, you're certain those friends are exactly who they say they are. And you might be right. Or you could be wrong. They could be scammers posing as your friends.

How hard is that, exactly? It turns out to be hideously easy to do.
If this kind of false-identity fraud hasn't been attempted against you in the past, I can assure you it will be in the future. Scammers are quickly realizing that posing as another person is a foolproof way to get around the age-old trust issue that can ruin a good con.

How to steal friends and influence people

I'm going to tell you exactly how someone can trick you into thinking they're your friend. Now, before you send me hate mail for revealing this deep, dark secret, let me assure you that the scammers, crooks, predators, stalkers and identity thieves are already aware of this trick. It works only because the public is not aware of it. If you're scamming someone, here's what you'd do:

Step 1: Request to be "friends" with a dozen strangers on MySpace. Let's say half of them accept. Collect a list of all their friends.

Step 2: Go to Facebook and search for those six people. Let's say you find four of them also on Facebook. Request to be their friends on Facebook. All accept because you're already an established friend.

Step 3: Now compare the MySpace friends against the Facebook friends. Generate a list of people that are on MySpace but are not on Facebook. Grab the photos and profile data on those people from MySpace and use it to create false but convincing profiles on Facebook. Send "friend" requests to your victims on Facebook.

As a bonus, others who are friends of both your victims and your fake self will contact you to be friends and, of course, you'll accept. In fact, Facebook itself will suggest you as a friend to those people.

(Think about the trust factor here. For these secondary victims, they not only feel they know you, but actually request "friend" status. They sought you out.)

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It just shows how nefarious those scumbuckets can be.

Don't forget about some of the spammer and scam artists that show up on CC from time to time.. I get friend requests from Nigerians every now and then. What on earth could they ever want on a Canadian site? Targets!

Well then, any of us here could be not who we say we are...

I best check my credentials...

That's true. They are everywhere! It seems like they are trolling any forums they can access to get people's names. Plus, I have gotten a few emails before from "Sun Bank"(I can't remember the exact name they used) saying that there was an error with my account and I needed to contact them to fix it.

Strange. I don't bank there, but surely it must be legit!

*sends banking info*

Yeah right. They only thing I do is report it as a Phishing scam. Stinking scum!

Atleast you're not asking us to send you a money transfer fee of 1,500$ or posting links to porn sites

Don't worry. I already did. It says that you are Frederick R. Flintstone. I believe you.

Not yet, anyhow. He may try anything to try and win the 'Last One To Post Wins' prize.

Maybe I don't feel that you trust me enough yet...

*waits in anticipation for this to happen*

Anything goes now re identity/scamming etc. Seems like an elaborate pyramid scheme.

there's an easy way to survive these attempts and it works for the whole of the internet:

"if it seems too good to be true IT IS"

don't trust anyone, treat your emails in a heirarchy, keep your work email as a treasured precious gem and use a hotmail account for anything that might result in junk. don't download anything someone sends you unless you're a) sure it's what you think it is and b) sure you have the knowhow to get rid of it if it turns out to be malware. Don't ever even consider sending anyone any money for any reason unless a reputable sales company is involved.

I got screwed over once online. Never again.

Great advice and insight.

So, you don't like Nigerians??

eh??

Can you blame him? Damn smart ass Nigerians and their smarmy handshakes!

This is why I don't install all those stupid programs and only add people I actually know or knew through other friends at one time or another. If you don't know the person, they why do you add them as a friend?

Just silly if you ask me. I'm only on there to make sure I am who I am and nobody took my name. I sometimes update the thing, but usually I never visit it for months...... it was neat the first time I joined, but the novelty wore off pretty quickly.

Although I am suprised I actually know over 200 people who were or still are friends..... I guess I'm not such a jerk afterall

so, what do they get from being your faux friend?

Information, Twila if one is foolish enough to give the truth.
scratch

hmm, well hopefully they don't friend me. THey'll be sadly disappointed. Unless they really want to be a fan of Gram Rabbit, Adam Carolla, Portishead... and can't figure out how to do so without perusing my page...I have no personal info on mine...I suck that wayl

Twila you don't suck. You are just intelligent!

You say intelligent, I say paranoid. lol.

Ah, Twila you are not paranoid, just wise.
scratch

Ooooh, Twila, I loves Portishead. Can I be yer frend? I promise to never ask you about anything.

Don't mind me, just fooling around.

But speaking of Nigerians, did you hear their latest scam? They advertise an apartment for rent on craigslist or something and then tell you to send the rent $ to Nigeria along with your bank account #, passport #, etc. Some people have had quite a shock, strangers showing up at their door wanting to see the "apartment" for rent at that address.

That's just ridiculous...giving out your bank account number and/or passport number...wow. Just wow.

P.s Hermite, Here I was all stoked that you might be a fellow Portishead lover and therefore you would have to become my bestest friend EVER...sigh...lol

You would think that people would have learned by now. Nope!

I've been screwed over a few times online. Never for cash, though, or for my identity - just for me heart. Avoid dating sites for the same reason.