Facebook members hit by another phishing scam

In what's just the latest Facebook phishing scam, hackers on Thursday broke into accounts and sent e-mails to friends urging them to log on to fake Facebook sites, according to new reports and anecdotes from members.

The social-networking site is in the process of cleaning up from the hack and is blocking compromised accounts, Reuters reported. "Victims were directed to log back in to the site, but actually logged into the one controlled by the hackers, unwittingly giving away their passwords," Reuters said, adding that the fake domains include www.151.im, www.121.im and www.123.im.

Facebook did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking confirmation and information about the hack. The number of users affected remains unknown, but a Facebook spokesman told The New York Times it "is not widespread and is only impacting a small fraction of a percent of users."

In addition to the scam, Facebook security made the news Thursday in relation to upcoming plans for "verified apps" on the site. Under this program, Facebook will review developer apps for a $375 fee to make sure they fit security and transparency standards, and will award a graphic badge to apps that make the cut.

[onehorn]

All applications should have been verified by Facebook in the first place--unverified apps are a major security hole.

[kcotham]

Where the heck is "im"?

[BigBlueMan]

I'm just hoping Mafia Wars doesn't get a seal so I can finally quit getting those darned invitations!

[kcotham]

Just block the application.

[Deaneh7]

There's just too many applications in Facebook. And with this other attack, I guess they have finally awaken to the reality that they have to do more on this issue. <a href="http://www.buyresveratrolinfo.com">DeaneH</a>

[myles taylor]

What's the point of that? Why would you want someone to give you their Facebook password? It's not like people have their credit card numbers on facebook.

I'm honestly asking BTW. I'm sure there is a very malicious reason for getting peoples' facebook passwords, but I can't think of one.

[Grumpypaul]

I'm guessing here, but maybe it's a "back door" way to gain personal knowledge. Not that people actually post secrets but they do inadvertently give certain things away in their posts. It might be to build ID theft.

BTW being a "older American" I tried and shut down a Facebook account after a week or so. I couldn't see any purpose for it at all. My life is my life and beyond posting to blogs or emailing I am not able to justify the "social networking" idea.

Hence my name...........

[cnetmeeterio]

Good phishing hackers or you have a good security mechanism on this website. facebook users are there for simple fun and simple recognition of real people that are not famous including myself, thats what a simple hassle free living in this world.

[Harrison912]

I'm on FaceBook mainly to socially market my safety and security web site so I'm always interested in what's going on there, especially security issues. Thanks, Michelle, for this report.

[istandonkids]

Maybe the crappy applications like that damn Mobile Phone iq test will be stopped. Notice how few crappy applications there are on the iTunes App Store? Why? Because they review all the apps. Facebook is the new Myspace...