Free airline tickets scam continues to target Facebook users

Tens of thousands of Facebook users have fallen victim to scams pretending to give away free flights

Tens of thousands of Facebook users have fallen victim to scams pretending to give away free flights

WEBVTT NEWS 8 IS "ON YOURSIDE" TONIGHT WITH A REMINDERABOUT AFACEBOOK SCAM THATCONTINUES TO GROW.IF YOU GET A MESSAGE FROMSOMEONE YOU KNOW ON FACEBOOKTELLING YOUWON MONEY, DON'TBELIEVE IT.THE NOTE TERRYURBAN RECEIVEDON FACEBOOK MESSENGER FROM HISACCUSE SIN WAS EXCITING.>> I'MHAPPY TO TELL YOU I WONA $50,000 PRIZE AND A NEWTRUCK.BUT THE NEXT MESSAGESAID THEGOOD FORTUNE DID NOT ENDTHERE.TERRY, I SAW YOUR NAME AMONGTHE WINNER'S LIST WHEN THECLAIM AGENTCAME TO MY HOUSETO DELIVER MY CASH.>> JERRY CONTACTED THE CLAIMAGENT AND WAS TOLD THAT HE,TOO, WON ATRUCK AND $50,000.HE THEN ROLLED BACK TO HIS --WROTE BACK TO HIS COUSINSAYING HE SUSPECTEDA SCAM.>> BUT THE MORE I TALKED, THETESTIER THIS PERSON WASGETTING.WHY DID YOU CALL THE POLICE?WHY ARE YOU DOING?>> WELL, TERRY WAS RIGHT.INTHE FACEBOOK MESSAGE SCAM,A VICTIM'S ACCOUNT IS HACKEDAFTER HE CLICK ON A VIDEO,MESSAGE OR SOME KIND OF NEWSITEM.THEN THE HACKER POSING AS THATPERSON SENDS OUTMESSAGES TOEVERYONE THAT PERSON ISFRIENDS WITH HOPING THEY WILLTRUST THE SENDER.>> SOMEBODY THAT MEANSSOMETHING TO ME, HE USED THEIRNAME AND TOLDNOTHING BUTLIZE.HOW DARE YOU DO THAT?BRIAN: IF YOU GET THIS KIND OFSCAM MESSAGE, CALLTHE PERSON

Free airline tickets scam continues to target Facebook users

Tens of thousands of Facebook users have fallen victim to scams pretending to give away free flights

Facebook users are falling victim to scams claiming to give away free plane tickets in honor of airline anniversaries. In exchange for free flights, users are asked to like, visit and share websites pretending to give away prizes. The fraudulent posts contain links to legitimate-looking sites like deltagiveaway.com, emiratesnow.us, aeroflot-com.us, and others - tricking tens of thousands of people into handing over personal information, downloading malicious browser extensions or apps, and subscribing to unwanted paid services with subscription charges. Downloading unknown browser extensions can be especially dangerous - many can steal data like passwords, credit card numbers and user login information.Each site contains a brief survey with three questions - 1) Do you use a specific airline? 2) What do you like best about the airline? 3) Are you satisfied with the quality of service? Once the inquiries are completed, users are told they're a click away from earning the free tickets. They just have to share the website's link to their Facebook page and hit the "like" button.How can you avoid becoming a victim?Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab warns potential victims to pay close attention to the URLs of data-requesting sites to ensure they're authentic. Users should also be extremely careful when sharing posts on Facebook, which can prevent others from falling victim to the same scheme. Safeguarding a device with anti-virus software will prevent the installation of malicious browser extensions and warn users if they're about to visit a phishing website.

Facebook users are falling victim to scams plane tickets in honor of airline anniversaries. In exchange for free flights, users are asked to like, visit and share websites pretending to give away prizes.

The fraudulent posts contain links to legitimate-looking sites like deltagiveaway.com, emiratesnow.us, aeroflot-com.us, and others - tricking tens of thousands of people into handing over personal information, downloading malicious browser extensions or apps, and subscribing to unwanted paid services with subscription charges.

Downloading unknown browser extensions can be especially dangerous - many can steal data like passwords, credit card numbers and user login information.

Each site contains a brief survey with three questions - 1) Do you use a specific airline? 2) What do you like best about the airline? 3) Are you satisfied with the quality of service?

Once the inquiries are completed, users are told they're a click away from earning the free tickets. They just have to share the website's link to their Facebook page and hit the "like" button.

How can you avoid becoming a victim?

Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab warns potential victims to pay close attention to the URLs of data-requesting sites to ensure they're authentic. Users should also be extremely careful when sharing posts on Facebook, which can prevent others from falling victim to the same scheme.

Safeguarding a device with anti-virus software will prevent the installation of malicious browser extensions and warn users if they're about to visit a phishing website.

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