GREAT FALLS - There has been a sharp increase in recent weeks of spammers posting bogus comments on Facebook pages with what appear to be links to "terrible" or "graphic" video.
The comments are frequently posted on news articles about crime and crashes.
The bogus comments often contain a phrase such as "Terrible that this happened video" or "It's scary what happened" and include a link to a website.
Spammers count on people clicking the link due to natural but somewhat morbid curiosity.
The accompanying screenshot of the link includes phrasing that indicates the link contains "graphic video" of a car crash, shooting, or crime.
For example, an article posted on Facebook about Wednesday's tragic murder/suicide in Billings resulted in several spammers posting this:
Another example from a news article this week included spam comments that said: "Police release video the incident caught on camera. Warning GRAFHIC CONTENT"
In reality, the link will take a person to a website that includes spam and/or can infect a mobile device with malware, possibly compromising your online security.
Best advice: never click on a link whose address you are not familiar with - for example, in the cases above, the website "kve.so" - and don't click on links that purport to show you something "graphic" or "dramatic" or "terrible."
Another tip to avoid getting duped - watch for bad spelling, grammar, and/or syntax.
Also - don't click on links posted by someone whose name or account does not seem familiar.
Facebook provides this overview of keeping your account safe:
Spam can spread by clicking unsafe links or installing malicious software. Scammers can sometimes gain access to people's Facebook accounts, which are then used to send spam. If you clicked on something that turned out to be spam or your account is creating unwanted posts, events, groups or Pages, try these steps:
Secure your accountReview account activity and remove any spam
- If you can log into your account, we recommend changing your password. If you can't get into your account, you can secure it.
- If someone is repeatedly posting something you think is spam, consider unfriending, blocking or reporting that person.
Report spam to us
- Check your login historyfor suspicious logins.
- Run a review of your recent posts and likes.
- Check your Activity Log and delete any unwanted actions.
- Check your installed apps and gamesand delete anything you don't trust.
- Delete any photos, posts, Pages, groups or events that you didn't create.
If you come across spam on Facebook, report it to us. By doing so, you'll be playing an important role in helping us protect other people from scams.
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