4 Facebook scams to watch out for now 

site source:http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=14361

4/21/2013

Every other week or so, a viral hoax breaks out on Facebook and spreads like wildfire through users' News Feeds.
The latest howler making the rounds is a "Red Alert" that urgently warns Facebook users not to open any message that pertains to Windows Live, even if it comes from a friend. Doing so will unleash a virus that "burns the entire hard disk."
The alert is accompanied by a picture of a laptop in flames.
Another recent hoax urged Facebook users to paste a Facebook "Gold" membership on their walls to prevent all of their private information from being made public.
Although hoaxes like these are mildly amusing and generally harmless, scams are another story. Falling for a scam can result in a thief taking over your Facebook account, stealing your identity and spreading computer viruses.
1. Free giveaways - The easiest scam to fall for on Facebook is a free giveaway. You'll see everything from gift cards to free tablets, laptops and smartphones.
Last month, tens of thousands of users fell for a scam claiming that Sony needed beta testers for its new PlayStation 4. According to the scam, chosen testers would get to keep the game console!
This is a variation on a recurring scam that tricks users into filling out surveys and downloading malicious files onto their computers. Entering your cellphone number on a scam survey often leads to bogus premium charges appearing on your wireless bill.
It's very rare for a company to give away something through Facebook. When it does, it's usually promoted on that company's Facebook page or website. If you check their page or site and don't see something, don't bother.
2. Viral videos - Almost as exciting as winning the latest gadget is seeing the latest viral video. However, many supposedly salacious celebrity "videos" posted on Facebook aren't videos at all.
When you click, they'll ask you to update your video player before you can watch. When you do, you'll be downloading a virus and sharing the scam with all of your friends.
This one is easy to avoid. Type the video's title into a Google search. It should pop up with a link to it on YouTube. If it isn't on YouTube or a legitimate news site, it's probably a scam.
3. Custom profiles - Another common scam offers to change your Facebook layout. Last month, it was the dangerous Facebook Black scam. This month, the scammer wants you try out the new Pink color theme.
This scam tries to con you into installing a rogue Facebook app. If you do, you give the scammer access to all of your personal data and license to spam and scam all your friends.
Keep in mind there is no official way to change your Facebook layout. Social Fixer can change the way you see it, but nothing will change the way other people see it.
4. Who viewed your profile? - Speaking of people seeing your profile, did you know there's now a way to tell who visits your page? OK, not really, but that's what scammers want you to think. This old gem has been around almost as long as Facebook itself.
Facebook has made it clear several times: There is no way for any app to show you who has visited your profile. Any download that says differently is either a prank or a virus. You can, however, see who has unfriended you using these sites.
These are the most popular scams, but it's really just the tip of the iceberg. I keep you updated on the major ones on my Facebook page, so be sure to "Like" me. If you want to keep track of every scam happening on Facebook, the site Facecrooks is updated with scams as they break.
Facebook isn't the only site where scammers abound, though. Here are three more online scams you have to stay vigilant against.

• Twitter is loaded with scam accounts that want you to follow them. You can easily weed out scam Twitter accounts with this site. 
• Could you tell a legitimate social media business from a scam one? I'll give you some tips on telling the difference. 
• Social media scams are growing, but they're still not as rampant as spam. Find out if an email is a scam with these tips.