The top 10 Facebook scams affecting users of the social networking site include vanity tools to check total profile views and a fake Rihanna sex tape, according to IT security firm Bitdefender.
While a fake Taylor Swift sex tape topped the list last May, it’s nowhere in the latest review of the most popular ways to spread malware on Facebook.
A ‘free’ trip to Disneyland was also excluded from the list, while ‘guess who viewed your profile’ scams comprise almost one third of the total.
"Why do people still want to see who has been taking a peek at their profile, despite all security warnings? I think they believe these are legitimate apps," states Catalin Cosoi, chief security strategist at Bitdefender.
"This is social engineering at its finest – a challenging mental game that pushes the right psychological buttons. The baits have changed over time, with stalkers, peekers, admirers, overly attached girlfriends and exes haunting you, but the reason this scam works is simple: human nature."
The past couple of years have seen a proliferation of Facebook scams to parallel the social networking platform’s growth. Here are the ten most widespread in a list that also shows their proportions and targeted countries.
1. Total profile views/visitors(Check out now who viewed your profile) – 30% (UK/US, Australia)
2. Change your Facebook Color/Colour – 7% (UK/US, Australia)
3. Rihanna sex tape with her boyfriend – 4.7% (UK/US, Australia)
4. Check my status update to get free Facebook T-shirt from Facebook – 4% (UK/US, Australia)
5. Say goodbye to Blue Facebook (Dites Aurevoir au Facebok BLEU) – 2.7% (France)
6. Unsealed. We are giving them away for free – 2.41% (UK/US, Australia)
7. Check if a friend has deleted you – 2.27% (UK/US, Australia)
8. See your top 10 profile peekers here! You will be shocked to find out your ex is still creeping on your profile! – 1.74% (UK/US, Australia)
9. Find out how to see who viewed your profile (Encontré la manera de ver quien ve mí perfil. No sabes las sorpresas!) – 1.55% (Spanish-speaking countries)
10. Just changed my Facebook theme. It’s amazing – 1.50% (UK/US, Australia)
The studiy is based on data from the Bitdefender Safego tool, a free Facebook app that scans timelines and alerts users in case of malicious and fraudulent posts.
