Scamwatch: "like and share" 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, we take a closer look at the different types of "like and share" scams on social media websites such as Facebook.

How does it work?
If you go on Facebook, you have probably come across posts from so called "like-farmers".

It could be a photo of child with cancer, a video of a cute kitten playing or a fake competition offering you the chance to win a smartphone, for example, if you "like and share" the post.

At best, these posts clutter up your newsfeed; at worst, they can be used to spread dangerous computer viruses and other forms of malware.

In many instances, "like-farmers" replace the page's original content with malware or scam advertising once they have hit a certain number of "likes".

How can I avoid being caught out?
"Like-farmers" post content that is designed to collect as many "likes" or "shares" as possible in the shortest amount of time.

But even if that photo of the little girl with the shaved head and the tubes in her arm breaks your heart, "liking and sharing" the post is more likely to create problems for you than help to solve hers.

The best way to avoid being caught up in scams of this kind is therefore to ignore all such posts.

I've been defrauded. What should I do?
If you discover you have inadvertently "liked" a dodgy looking post or page, send Facebook a scam report and then click the "unlike" button to remove your name from the list and stop receiving related posts.

It is also worth contacting any friends who suddenly start filling your newsfeed with rubbish - they may not be aware of the posts and can only take action to stop them if someone tells them what is happening.

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