Ramblings of an old Doc

Seems as though a new scam is coming out for every new member that joins the site. While it’s best to stay vigilant and read up on the latest scams to avoid, there are a few other tips that will keep you ahead of the game, protecting your profile 24 hours a day.

With all of your personal information and photographs posted on Facebook, the last thing you want is to find that your account has been hacked or accessed without your permission. We’ve put together a list of ways that you can protect yourself from the latest scams, making sure that your Facebook account is never compromised.

Follow The Sophos Blog

Antivirus developers, Sophos, report on the latest Facebook phishing scams practically on a daily basis on their blog, Naked Security. There seems to be no limit to the rogue applications preying on people’s curiosity, or the desire to activate certain features on their Facebook profiles through these apps. Sophos is one of the best sources today when it comes to Facebook scams.

ie 9

See my article posted today here. Turns out it’s the safest browser to use for Social Networking sites!

SafeGo

BitDefender’s SafeGo is a Facebook application designed to keep users aware and protected from spam and any kind of threat that might be floating around Facebook. SafeGo scans your profile for any suspicious links, and you also have the option of allowing the app to automatically post a comment to your wall when a threat is detected.

Facebook Security

Another place to find tips and tricks to stay safe on Facebook comes directly from the source. Facebook’s Security page is constantly being updated with ways to protect your account.

Look For The Signs

Aside from all of these tips and tricks, the most important thing that any person can do is use common sense. See who it was that posted the link and ask yourself how likely it is that they would share something that begins with OMG You won’t believe this! or would they really write to you, through Facebook of all means, if they were stranded in a strange city?

If you receive emails that claim to be from Facebook, always analyze the email address they came from and the link they want you to click. Facebook notifications always come from Facebookmail.com.

What To Do If You Unwittingly Clicked That Link?

If you feel that you may have been the victim of a Facebook phishing scam, the first thing you should do is change your Facebook password. If you’ve linked your Facebook account to other online services, it would probably be best to change the passwords to those services as well.

If you’ve granted permission to an application, you can revoke permission through your privacy settings. Navigate to your Privacy Settings, and at the bottom of the page, click ‘Edit your settings‘ under Apps and Websites.

You will be taken to a page featuring the latest apps you’ve authorized. Click the ‘Edit settings‘ button.

From there you can delete any apps that you have mistakenly authorized by clicking the small ‘x’ next to the app.

How do you keep your Facebook profile safe? Have you been the victim of any phishing attacks? How did you deal with it?

Let me know in your responses.


Comments (Page 2)
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on Jan 15, 2011

Philly0381
The best way, stay off of Facebook.  One day, when you aren't paying attention, someone will pull a 'Gotcha' on you.

The OP's point about the younguns is hard to ignore. Sure, the best thing to do about Facebook is ignore it (and block the domain if your browser supports that).

But if you're going to wallow in that online orgy of self-profiling for mass marketers and self-marketing for scammers, best take as many precautions as you can.

on Jan 15, 2011

I said I had a Facebook account yet I still get emails from the site. How do I stop them?

on Jan 15, 2011

I've never understood what point there was to facebook.

on Jan 15, 2011

"*EDIT:  pbbt, Duh!  I revealed my REAL identity to Stardock & this Site of course."

Some interactive sites require personal information, typically a legitimate email account as simple recognition requirements...so that you are 'who you are'.  All that is fine.... as there is no instance when that info is made public or displayed on those sites [such as Stardock's].

It's a little 'different' for people such as myself.... where it's only appropriate that my email [and some others']is accessible to our community members.

The problem with social networking sites is the '6 degrees of separation'.

Your personal info which you inadvertently or intentionally divulge is only ever 6 degrees of separation from the absolute scum of humanity [insert personal choice of same here].

 

on Jan 16, 2011

I found it really difficult to refuse to join. Old High School friends and folks from here.... I just did. Not sorry I did [yet], but to quit suddenly? Why?

I've taken more than adequate precautions... so I do not feel insecure about it.

Besides, how could I pass up on commenting on Smedley's "adventures" in ER's?

on Jan 16, 2011

I have several SM accounts, despite being older.  I was one of the early adopters of Livejournal as we used it for SM stuff back in the 90s, so I got used to it.  That said, I'd never post any real important financial information on  there, and Facebook does make me wary.  I'm warier now then I was a couple years ago even, all due to Facebook and its policies.

 

 

on Jan 16, 2011

I have a FB account I use it to keep in touch with Family and Friends from here and in Tasmania  I do like to play some of the games on there  too

on Jan 16, 2011

Here's an interesting question. Why did they call it Facebook? When I first heard about it visions of a face opening and looking inside to see the person's gray matter. Weird.

on Jan 16, 2011

...
Why did they call it Facebook?
...

Because the inventor needs to be smacked in the Face with a large leather-bound Book of concrete samples?

on Jan 16, 2011

people who wouldnt normally trust you with their name in real life but somehow dont mind giving their personal info on the internet..i guess it just doesn't add up too good in their mind..i wonder how it would be if sites like facebook were off the net,you had facebook agents that came to your house,or you went to their office to give your info to make a profile,and access things through a phone system

on Jan 16, 2011

It doesn't "add up" so if you post, protect yourself!

on Jan 16, 2011

Here's an interesting question. Why did they call it Facebook? When I first heard about it visions of a face opening and looking inside to see the person's gray matter. Weird.

If you're not just joking...they took the name from the directories some colleges make for incoming students.

 

on Jan 16, 2011

DrJBHL



Quoting aeligos,
reply 4

With all of your personal information and photographs posted on Facebook, the last thing you want is to find that your account has been hacked or accessed without your permission.
Facebook.

....Myspace.

......And all others likewise site.

Seriously.  Who in their right mind would enter 'personal' information and photographs on such sites?

I do have one fb account but nothing else...and my address there is "616 up yours street; your momma's town; one plate on planet earth; 61616".  I don't even have my real name anywhere on that site.  OH and to top it off, such information is set to private (ie by permission only).

Do people really enter all that information???

That is just UNBELIEVABLE!

-.-


Depends on which generation you're from. The young and teenagers seem to have little regard for it... until a disaster happens.

Take a look here.

Well, im not a teenager anymore , , but im not "old" either, and i remember back in the myspace days, i wouldnt enter any information back then either.

on Jan 16, 2011

Have no desire to do the Facebook thing..... keep saying to young people I know on it.... would you type out all that info on yourself... with those photos..... and pin it to your front door for everyone to walk past and see?...  hell no they say... well... what's the dif.... 

 

The only reason I've felt tempted... is my old boarding school mates have started up a Facebook account for people to upload old school pics and tell stories of back in the day.... for which you have to have an account.... I'm torn... but still resisting...

Facebook seems to have their fair share of morons on there.....   wow...      link...

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