Facebook users are being tricked into clicking a scam post that promises a 'shocking video' that will make your jaw drop in amazement, reports Hackread.
The offending post is attempting to lure in victims with the headline "[Shocking video] When you see what happens to this pregnant lady at the beach, your jaw will drop," but, when clicked, takes users to a phony Facebook page which asks them to share the post before viewing. If you hadn't yet worked out you're being scammed, the post then directs you to a number of other fake pages which attempt to steal your personal information.
Victims may also be asked to download updates to their video player to view the clip, which actually infects their browser with malware that can display more spam and breach their computer's security.
As noted by Hoax Slayer, the captured data is likely to be sold off to marketing companies, resulting in unwanted phone calls, emails and promotional letters directed at the victim. The criminals behind the scam, meanwhile, will earn a commission on any data captured as a result of the post.
As with similar Facebook scams, victims never get to see the video no matter how many hoops they're made to jump through. Ironically in this case the actual video is available to watch on YouTube (and malware-free), although users may be disappointed, as it's much less shocking than advertised.
Phishing scams are rife on social media and, according to ESET's David Harley, they're becoming much more difficult to spot even for the trained eye. “While sometimes you can still spot a phish a mile off, some phish are much more technically sophisticated," he wrote. "Real banks and building societies also actually make phishing easier for the scammer – by using language which scammers might use, and even adding embedded links that aren’t clearly identifiable as the institution’s own domain."
When it comes to spotting dubious links on social media, users can protect themselves by remembering the following tips;
