Scamwatch: Facebook "free car" fraud
Stay one step ahead of the fraudsters with our series of articles giving you the lowdown on the scams they use to trick people out of their hard-earned cash - and how to avoid being taken in by them.
This week, a fake competition that has tricked an estimated 200,000 Facebook users into opening themselves up to cyber crime.
How does it work?
This new Facebook scam lures people in by pretending they can win a free Audi R8 car, just by "liking" and "sharing" a post on the site.
Entrants to the "Like-farming" competition were asked to like and share the post and to specify what colour car they would like if they won.
However, videos the post linked to leave those who click on them open to Trojan spyware that hackers use to access people's personal details and steal their identities.
How can I avoid being caught out?
As with most things in life, Facebook competitions that seem too good to be true probably are.
Posts offering the chance to win a car or a holiday, for example, are not the only ones to look out for, though.
You should also be wary of Facebook surveys and videos you have to share or like to view.
Other tips include refusing to install updates suggested by videos that appear on the site and keeping your operating systems, firewalls and antivirus software up to date.
I've been defrauded. What should I do?
Figures from security firm Bitdefender indicate that some 200,000 Facebook users have been caught out by this Audi RB scam.
If you are one of them, then it is vital to check your computer using an online virus scanner, such as the Microsoft Safety Scanner. You should also change any passwords and login details that may have been made available to hackers as soon as possible to avoid further problems.
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Scamwatch: prize draw mail fraud
Scamwatch: pyramid schemes
