Cybersecurity experts have issued an urgent warning to Facebook users over a new scam that they’ve coined the ‘I can’t believe his gone scam’.
This emotionally manipulative scam tricks users into downloading malware, with posts featuring fake BBC branding, and implying that a loved one has died.
Clicking on the linked post will bring users to a compromised site designed to harvest their personal information.
Marijus Briedis, cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, said: ‘When you come across unexpected or alarming posts, especially those about personal emergencies, take a moment to verify their legitimacy before clicking any links.’
Here are the key signs to look out for to make sure you don’t fall victim to the scam.
Cybersecurity experts have issued an urgent warning to Facebook users over a new scam that they’ve coined the ‘I can’t believe his gone scam’
This emotionally manipulative scam tricks users into downloading malware, with posts featuring fake BBC branding, and implying that a loved one has died (stock image)
The ‘I can’t believe he’s gone scam’ was first highlighted by cybersecurity researcher Pieter Arntz from Malwarebytes.
As Mr Arntz explained in a blog post, the scam consists of a post containing some variation of ‘I can’t believe he’s gone. I’ll miss him so much’ and a link.
If you follow the link, you will be brought to another Facebook post showing what appears to be a BBC news article about a fatal road accident.
This post will also contain slightly different text to the original, saying: ‘I can’t believe this, I’m going to miss him so much’.
But while this post might appear legitimate at first glance, this is actually a fake link to a malicious website.
Mr Arntz writes: ‘The BBC news logo in the picture and the BBCNEWS part of the URL are obviously intended to gain your trust, and suggest that it’s safe to play the video.
‘In reality you will be redirected to the link displayed directly below the movie. We found several variations of that URL. All composed like this ‘BBCNEWS-{6 characters}.OMH4.XYZ’.’
As Mr Arntz explained in a blog post , the scam consists of a post containing some variation of ‘I can’t believe he’s gone. I’ll miss him so much’ and a link
Following the link will take you through several redirects designed to perform ‘fingerprinting’.
This is where sites gather information about your browser, location and other sites you’ve visited so they can redirect you to a site most likely to generate profit from you.
Eventually, you will be brought to a site filled with popups that can lead to fraudulent sites, malware downloads, and potentially unwanted programs.
Cybersecurity experts say that this scam is particularly dangerous because it is designed to gain your trust.
The posts are made from accounts that have been hijacked by hackers, so they appear to come from someone the user trusts.
In a Reddit post, one user explained how their aunt’s Facebook account had been hacked and was now sending out hundreds of ‘I can’t believe he’s gone’ posts.
Mr Briedis said: ‘As you are made to believe it’s a friend posting the news, you are caught off guard and less likely to question the authenticity of the seemingly tragic news.
‘By doing so, the scammers are also able to successfully get around Facebook’s spam filters.’
Then, by using what appears to be a video from a legitimate source, the scammers can convince users that the post is trustworthy.
A BBC spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We urge everyone to check links and URLs to ensure they are getting news from a trusted source. When we become aware of fake BBC content we take swift action.’
To stay safe online, the experts say to be wary of any post that is trying to create a sense of urgency. Take a careful look at the URL before clicking on anything, and consider reaching out to the original poster through a different platform to confirm the news with them directly (stock image)
To make sure you don’t get caught out by this scam, Mr Breidis says there are some simple steps to take.
If you see a post containing alarming news, reach out to the person making the post rather than following the link.
Mr Breidis said: ‘Approach the friend involved through other means to confirm the post’s authenticity. Watch out for any unusual details in account profiles, as they may signal a compromised account.’
Be wary of any post that seems to be engineering a sense of urgency, it is better to take a moment to assess the situation yourself.
If you think the post might be legitimate, look for other news sources or search for the event yourself rather than following the link directly.
Mr Breidis also advises that users carefully scrutinise the URL or any post that they want to follow.
If the URL isn’t for the website it claims to be then there is something dodgy going on.
Finally, Mr Briedis says that you should keep your browser up to date and stay informed about the latest scams.
Ensuring that both you and your computer are well prepared to deal with any scams is the best way to avoid any nasty consequences when browsing online.
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
