Facebook scam, maybe?

by 36 replies
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Just a few minutes ago I got an email from Facebook Security <identification@facebook.com>. It reads as follows:

Dear user of facebook,

Because of the measures taken to provide safety to our clients, your password has been changed.
You can find your new password in attached document.

Thanks,
Your Facebook.

Sounds kind of strange. I do have a Facebook account, but since the day I opened it, I have never used it. I don't even know what my page looks like. So they chose to change my password, OK. So I opened the zip file and what did I find, an executable file. Naturally I didn't open it. I have got similar messages from UPS about packages that could not be delivered.

I am just curious, the email SEEMS to come from Facebook, according to the email addy. But somehow I don't believe that. Anyone want to tell me that I am wrong and that I should have ran that executable file?
#main internet marketing discussion forum #facebook #scam
  • I bet it is a scam, but you never know. Why don't you check to see with facebook and ask them? Let us know what you hear about this please.
  • YES its a scam its a virus.
    • [1] reply
    • I had that too.

      Just imagine that Facebook really had changed your password - would they send it to you as a zipped attachment? A zip file just for one word

      Of course, your password is your responsibility. It's not for Facebook to change. If your password needs changing - you change it yourself.
  • General tip: Set up multiple email forwarding addresses, like facebook1@yourdomain.com, yourbank@yourdomain.com, ebay1@yourdomain.com, that way when you get B.S. phishing emails and they're not sent to that specific forwarding address, you automatically know they're not legitimate.

    A second benefit, is if one of those forwarding addresses gets on a bunch of spammers' lists, you can just deactivate it to cut off the spam flow.
    • [ 2 ] Thanks
  • It is 100% not from Facebook and is a phishing scam. One of my accounts gets that email every day just about. Also keep in mind companies will never send you a password or any account information in an attachment, especially an executable.
  • Tim,
    It's a scam ... I get them at my non-facebook emails all the time and I just delete the ones the spam filter do not.. There are also emails going around for MySpace.

    James
  • I've been getting about 20 emails a day like that. I just delete them. I figure if they want to delete the account....I can always open a new one if I like.
  • I've also received a few from Yahoo...about canceling my email account with them.
  • Facebook will never , ever ever contact you via e-mail and ask you to download something to change your password.

    There's another one doing the rounds from DHL, asking you to download a parcel delivery manifest.

    I suspect they are spammers running PPI offers .
  • this is so abvious, I hate those stuĂ®d spammers, that is not the way to do businsess online
    • [1] reply
    • No doubt a scam. I receive several of these emails a day. As well as a dozen or so banks that I have never heard of. And craigslist. There is no reason that any company would start out with

      "Dear user of facebook,"

      If they can't identify me in the email then it's a scam.

      Scott
  • For future reference.. try a web search using the subject line of the email before you open it and read it. This usually turns up some revealing information, and you don't run the risk of opening malicious spam.

    Grant
  • Sounds like a scam to me too. I did notice that I had to change my facebook password about 2 or 3 weeks ago. But I did not get an email notice or zip file. don't open that. I only found out when I signed on to my account so I knew the request for a new password was legit.
  • As SimonHarrison said above Facebook (or for that matter any site) will never contact you by email to setup a new password.

    For future reference...whenever you log into your Facebook account or any other account for another site, then you will always be prompted to change your password if necessary.
  • This would go for ANY kind of online account you have. Just log in to your respective account and check for messages there.
  • There is NO way Facebook would send that. It is weird that it came from a facebook.com email. I would scan the file before you open it...if that's what you intend to do.
  • It's a SCAM. Anyone can create e-mails from any e-mail address going out.. be careful
  • I just received the same email It's a SCAM



    .
  • Yes, that is what i thought. I had to open up the zip file to satisfy my curiosity. But as soon as I saw it was an .exe file, I pretty much knew. It is so obvious that Facebook would never send out such an email, I don't know why these spammers do this, but obviously some folks fall for it. I get Nigerian bank scam email from time to time and they all sound like such a load of bs, but they must make money out of is or they wouldn't do it. But why would somoene fall for such a lame email?
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    • [2] replies
    • I would just go to Facebook and see if the old password works. It it does then the email is a scam.
    • Just because it comes from @facebook.com means nothing. Check the headers, it's a forged address, something that is very simple to do.
  • Here is the word from Facebook themselves.

    Facebook warns over password reset scam ? The Register

    Sure as hell, as we all thought, it is a scam.
  • I got that too.. didn't even bother to read it - just marked as "Junk" in TB right away. I don't think that ANY respectable website will EVER send anyone stuff like that, especially when it's about changing password...
  • SCAM, it makes you download the attachment and steal your logins. Don't even open it.
    • [1] reply
    • Never open executables from a person you don't know.

      The biggest reason is: no big company will ever send out an executable to reset their password. It's too risky for them as a company, and also they don't know what operating system you're running. You could be running windows and open it, but what about all the Mac users? Linux users? No company is going to shut a certain group out of accessing their own account.

      When you get an executable from someone you don't know, it's bad news. Pretty much the best rule to follow.
      • [1] reply
  • i also received an email similar the OP, i didnt open it and just deleted it after reading this thread.
  • I've been getting heaps of these emails lately. Another one that is doing the rounds is the UPS Delivery Problem email. My virus checker picks that one up every time as it seems to have some sort of virus attached to it.
  • It's a Scam, read this on technibble.

    Facebook Password Reset Malware | Technibble
  • I have several parcels floating around just waiting for me to check the tracking number as per the emails. My bank accounts are doing security checks and want access to my passwords etc. etc.

    I opened one out of curiosity and my computer lit up like a Christmas tree screaming not to go any further. Fortunately my antivirus software dealt with it.

    I no longer open anything unless I know where it has come from.
  • I got three of these today.

    I don't even have a FB account, so flagged as spam and deleted.
  • I saw a message earlier when I Was signing up on Facebook that Facebook will never ask you for your password... and no facebook can't be a scam
  • Besides, this type of scam is like the oldest trick in the book..I don't understand how average tech-savvy person could fall for that...
  • from the look is a hacker job

    dont open it or the virus goo in to your pc

    boom everything change drastically believe me

    i been hit this twice so be cautious or you will be next
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