Facebook helps scamsters make quick money

Social media has emerged as a significant tool, which not only allows you to connect with people and relatives all round the globe, but also helps in boosting diverse small and large scale businesses.

Now most people know that most small-scale organisations and sellers are heavily dependant on social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter for reaching larger audiences. What some users don’t realise is how several scam groups and conmen have started taking undue advantage of social websites to make some extra bucks.

The procedure is simple: the perpetrators create a fake link/ website with numerous lucrative offers such as free exclusive phones and other electronic gadgets. This is followed by a few positive posts by tricksters posing as users on ‘how they have won an iPhone or an iPad Air 2 previously’, which is absolutely false.

With an impulsive urge to win luxurious devices for free, people reflexively click on these phising links and ultimately end up sharing it on social media websites. As more and more people start clicking and sharing, they unknowingly help these scamsters make a lot of extra money. On many occasions, users might also be at a risk of compromising personal details such as account details, location and many more.

One of the most recent examples that is increasingly showing up on Facebook is regarding a fake website named Arabmillionaire.pw, which is claiming to give away flagship Apple devices free of cost.

The fraudsters behind this website have asked people to follow two simple steps to get an iPhone for free. First step involves clicking on the product and the second one asks you to share the page on Facebook, and post a link to five different groups in less than five minutes.

Although Google Chrome blocks these websites completely, other browsers and smartphone browsers repeatedly allow them.

Now this particular link is an adware, which pushes a mixture of hidden ads and helps tricksters earn easy money. There are numerous other websites that use similar methods, but are more interested in retrieving your personal account details.

This cunning form of trickery has existed since long back, however, it has been increasing exponentially with a surge in Internet penetration. These fraudsters are always on the lookout for ignorant users, who are accountable for large-scale circulation of these phising links on social media websites.

So next time, be extra cautious when you see these links on Facebook, never click on it and instantly report when you come across one.    

(Deccan Chronicle)