Are you the type who simply must always know every single time anyone views your Facebook profile page? Well, if you believe there’s an app for that — you’re wrong. IT’S A SCAM!
Yes, I know, I know — you like complete control of your life. You can’t answer the phone without first seeing who’s calling on the Caller ID. And you’d probably hyperventilate and pass out if you can’t know who’s looking at your Facebook profile 24 hours a day. Good concept, but sorry — it’s just not possible.
Security research firm Sophos has released a memo regarding a rogue app that was spread on Facebook recently with messages like “OMG … I can’t believe this actually works! Now you really can see who viewed your profile!” But the app is bogus. According to a Facebook representative, apps on the site simply do not have the ability to track who is viewing profiles. But for anyone clicking on the link provided in the message, they are taken to a “permissions page” requesting the app be allowed access to their Facebook profile. And that’s where the trouble begins.
Nearly 60,000 people have fallen for the scam, which basically allows the app to post on your wall as if it were you. Have you ever noticed messages saying “Hey, I just got a free iPad by clicking here” among other things? Well, that’s coming from your clicking random Facebook links making random promises for non-existent apps.
So the lesson here is to NOT drop your guard just because you’re on Facebook, and to remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Be careful and cautious when adding new applications on Facebook. Every app or link or promise is not always legit just because you saw it on someone’s wall. Try to stick with reputable apps you know of, and pay close attention to what permissions they seek. If you have been duped by a scam, you should remove references to it from your News Feed, and revoke the right of the app to access your profile via Account, Privacy Settings, Applications, and Web sites.
