# Facebook Virus



## lyndasw (Mar 27, 2011)

You would think I would know better!  I clicked on a link that a friend sent me on facebook and now have this virus on my profile.  My son phoned me within minutes to warn me but loads of people have had random messages (supposedly) from me, so it looks like it hacks your account.  So just wanted to remind everyone to be careful.  Not sure how you get rid of these things either - any ideas?  Have just done a scan of the laptop and everything seems ok there.


----------



## Northerner (Mar 27, 2011)

I got one of those from a friend but it seemed so unlikely that she would have sent it that I didn't click - glad I didn't now! No idea how to get rid of Facebook viruses I'm afraid.


----------



## alisonz (Mar 27, 2011)

I had a message supposedly from my nephews wife sending me a video. Seemed a bit odd so I messaged her and asked had she sent it. She said no but had been caught out herself that way. I was lucky I never opened said video.


----------



## lyndasw (Mar 27, 2011)

I have put a message on my profile warning everyone I have not sent any messages so fingers crossed!


----------



## Sugarbum (Mar 27, 2011)

Its so easy to do- today at work I opened a message in my junk hotmail that said I had a parcel from UPS and  downloaded a virus onto my work computer. Nothing works, just these messages popping up.

I managed to scan the computer and it said no viruses- strange isnt it?

Hope you get your sorted. Good luck x


----------



## Vicsetter (Mar 28, 2011)

You might like to look at the Sophos Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/SophosSecurity.
Aparently Facebook have removed the offending app that got you.


----------



## Monica (Mar 28, 2011)

Glad I saw this, altough I was suspicious anyway!

One of my friends, who I don't really communicate with, supposedly sent me this link. As it was in english(he's swiss and it should have been in german) and the fact he doesn't communicate, made me suspicious. So I sent him a message asking about it. His reply was no, he didn't send it!!!


----------



## Mark T (Mar 28, 2011)

I'm wondering if this virus is the same link that my brother and sister -in-law just posted for "profile counter".


----------



## Monica (Mar 31, 2011)

Mark T said:


> I'm wondering if this virus is the same link that my brother and sister -in-law just posted for "profile counter".



My "virus" was "Best Picture Apps"


----------



## FM001 (Mar 31, 2011)

Some friend Linda for providing the link, I've never been on Facebook and always tread carefully when links are provided in any forum, if in doubt don't click I say.


----------



## Northerner (Mar 31, 2011)

Mark T said:


> I'm wondering if this virus is the same link that my brother and sister -in-law just posted for "profile counter".



That's the one that someone sent me. I ignored it, knowing the person it was 'from' wouldn't send anything like that to anyone, let alone me!  I don't really like FB, it seems like a very poorly secured place if it's so easy to get viruses on it. I don't like the way it keeps changing things to do with your profile too, without consent. It told me I had weak security the other day because I haven't got any mobile phone stuff set up - my mobile is incapable of communicating on the internet it's so old!


----------



## Mark T (Mar 31, 2011)

Northerner said:


> ...It told me I had weak security the other day because I haven't got any mobile phone stuff set up - my mobile is incapable of communicating on the internet it's so old!


Oh, that's a sneaky ploy by facebook to grab your phone numbers.


----------



## David H (Mar 31, 2011)

*You need to change your Facebook password.*

A virus usually works by asking you to click on a link, then you need to allow xxx to access your account to view (say a video) by clicking allow it then has access to all your friends info and starts sending spam links.

My friends and family know that if I was to send something it would be by E-mail only and not via facebook. If I did put something on facebook it would be on my wall only.

I happened to me, and I had to change passwords, once I did that the spam messages stopped being sent from my account, the hackers could no longer log on as they had the wrong password.


*JUST A TIP FOR YOUR E-MAIL ACCOUNT:*

When your E-mail is hacked the virus goes through your address book and starting at 'A' goes alphabetically though it sending spam.

This is how to FOOL it, set up a new contact 
Name: Aaaaa Aaaaa

E-mail address  aaaa@aaaa.com 

When the programme tries to send spam it will start with the phony contact.
It will get a send error and try again after 4 attempts it will quit and go to the next e-mail account it's hacked.

These programs won't send block E-mails, because you can have the settings that more than one e-mail addresses and you have to verify a visual captcha, so they send individually to avoid this.

David


----------



## robert@fm (Apr 1, 2011)

David H said:


> *JUST A TIP FOR YOUR E-MAIL ACCOUNT:*
> 
> When your E-mail is hacked the virus goes through your address book and starting at 'A' goes alphabetically though it sending spam.
> 
> ...



Sorry to have to say this, but the above "advice" is a well-known hoax:  http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/preventworms.html


----------



## David H (Apr 1, 2011)

Thanks for that, to me it sounded so plausible that I thought it had to be correct.

You live and learn!

David


----------



## Caroline (Apr 1, 2011)

There are a lot of strange things happening with viruses. A couple of days ago we had a call from someone who said they were from our ISP and they had detected a virus on our computer. We had been using the computer and have been since and there is no virus. Think this one was a scam phone call, we didn#t fall for it...


----------



## David H (Apr 1, 2011)

Caroline said:


> There are a lot of strange things happening with viruses. A couple of days ago we had a call from someone who said they were from our ISP and they had detected a virus on our computer. We had been using the computer and have been since and there is no virus. Think this one was a scam phone call, we didn#t fall for it...



I get these cold telephone sales calls for anti-virus software quite regularly.

I pretend to be a complete idiot. (No smart remarks - like that wouldn't be hard LOL)

It's usually a call centre in India or similar.

Conversation goes something like this:

*Me:* Hello

*Call Centre:* We're calling about your computer.

*Me:* have I won a Computer ?

*Call centre:* It's about the virus on your computer.

*Me:* sorry, I thought you said computer, it's hard to understand you, so your from the hospital calling about a virus in my blood tests.

*Call Centre:* your computer, on your computer.

*Me:* I'm sorry, you'll have to tell me what it is?

*Call Centre:* A virus.

*Me:* I have a Virus ?

*Call Centre:* (sigh of relief) Yes.

*Me:* How could I get a virus, I've had my flu injection last week.

*Call Centre:* You have a virus on your computer.

*Me:* Why do you want to give me a computer with a virus.

*Call centre:* 'YOUR' Computer.

*Me:* hold on I'll get my son.

I then put the phone down and go and do something around the house or go out and leave them holding on.

I have since got on to the Telephone Company and said I didn't want my phone number being passed on to 3rd parties (this can actually happen even with ex-directory numbers)

I haven't had any phone calls recently.

David


----------



## runner (Apr 1, 2011)

Like it David


----------

