Scam Signature Messages:
TOP 10 -MOST POPULAR VIDEOS
Alternate Message(s):
TOP 10 – BEST VIDEOS 2011
TOP 10 – MOST POPULAR VIDEOS
TOP 10 – BEST VIDEOS 2012
TOP 10 – MOST WANTED VIDEOS
Trending: January 2012
Scam Type: Malware, Rogue Plugin
Why it’s a Scam:
Clicking the link on the Facebook wall post takes you to the following page designed to look like Facebook:
Clicking on any of the videos will take you to another page where you are asked to install a YouTube player upgrade. This is in fact a rogue browser extension:
The scammers are hoping that users will think this is Facebook and that the Premium Youtube plugin is legit. The end game here is a rogue browser plugin. As with Facebook applications, only install plugins / browser extensions from trusted sources. Based on what we have seen so far, this one doesn’t fit the bill. Installing the plugin leaves your system totally vulnerable to the developer. Similar scams have been known to pack malware and viruses. Installing the plugin is definitely not worth the risk to your system. We decided to stop here and advise you to do the same.
How to Deal with the Scam:
If you follow the scam through to its completion, then you are likely spreading the very same scam message to your friends. They will need to remove the scam message by clicking the small “X” located in the top right hand corner of the post on their wall. You also need to run a complete system scan on your machine to make sure the code didn’t infect your system. You will also need to uninstall the rogue add-on from your web browser.
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