This morning my Facebook account was hacked. Unfortunately, and as hard as it is for me to believe, I have no idea how they got access to my password. I've done all of the prescribed things to fix the problem, as well I know how. I changed passwords making the new password something I will probably never be able to remember. I changed all accesses to everything in Facebook to "Friends and Network". I also dropped my use of any Facebook applications.
It's kind of a shame that we live in a world of wackos who have nothing better to do with there time than to screw with people. I find Facebook a convenient way to keep track of and communicate with friends and family. It allows me easily share photos, videos, and articles with everyone who I am "friends". However, I have just switched over the Flickr.com for photo sharing and YouTube.com from video sharing. Hopefully, I'm not just extending the problem.
Facebook may just be suffering from it's own popularity. Maybe it's just too big for the Facebook people to manage securely anymore... assuming it was ever managed securely in the past. Needless to say, in case you can't tell, I'm pissed; at Facebook and at myself. I can't believe I let this happen (notice I am accepting the blame for this, and not pointing at Facebook. I should have and could have been more vigilant. I will be, attempt to be, in the future. (updated June 14, 2010) ).
BTW, here's the scam. Someone gets your password (or at least I am assuming that's what they did) and sends an instant message from Facebook to bunches, if not all of you friends, telling them you are in trouble and desperately need money. Here a transcript of today's "conversation" that a friend, who did not buy into into the scam, forwarded to me...
Transcript:
Willie
hello
how are you doing
7:29am
Jim
Morning, WIllie. I'm doing pretty well. How about you?
7:30am
Willie
i'm not good at all
7:30am
Jim
Sorry to hear that. What's up?
Willie
i' stuck in london
7:31am
Jim
Oh, bummer. So about 3:30 p.m. there. Airline troubles?
7:32am
Willie
got mugged at gun point last night
not airline troubles
7:33am
Jim
I'm so sorry. What a terrible experience for you.
Must have been frightening.
7:34am
Willie
all my cash credit cards and cell were taken off me
Jim
So now that the shock is wearing off, you've got the hassle of dealing with the credit cards and cell. I feel for you, Willie.
Anything I can do to help?
Willie
my flight leaves in few hours and am having problem settling the hotel bills due to the muggers have taken all i had
Please i need you to loan me few bucks about $750 to sort out the hotel bills.....I promise to refund back your cash as soon as am back in town tomorrow
Jim
I'm willing to help. Who can I call at your office to verify your situation?
7:41am
Willie
i already mailed them
just do your best i'll see them when i get back
7:44am
Willie
jim you there?
7:45am
Jim
Yeah. I'm looking up the number for your office to see if I can reach them.
7:45am
Willie
k
did you see any
7:49am
Willie
you still there
Jim
On the phone to reach your office
Jim, thanks for forwarding the transcript to me.
When the hacker realized he was not scamming Jim, he dropped the conversation. Hopefully, everyone realizes that when you work for a company that sends thousands of people all over the world everyday of the week, we have contingencies to handle situations like this, if they were to really occur. And hopefully, no one was drawn into this sicko's scam attempt.
If you're on Facebook, be careful. Have a strong password, change your passwords frequently (I plan to change my every time I have to change my IBM passwords), watch out for who you connect to and which applications you give access to Facebook account. Someplace along the line, I did not and I am trying to figure out where I made that mistake. If I ever figure it out, I will update this post. Until then, it's back to "TRUST NO ONE".
BTW, this is not a new scam. It has happened before. And from what I have learned, it is fairly common. Here's an article describing just about the exact same hack and scam.
Note: This article is received from one of our members, and just for your awarenes we posted here on our blog. If you have any comments, please feel free to write us.
Thanks
Admin, NETGURU
