Is this a Facebook scam?

[Madam Bijoux]

I''ve recently gotten some E mails , supposedly from Facebook, saying that someone posted an old high school picture of me. The E mails had links to the picture, but when I clicked on the links, I got a message saying that I had to create an account in order to see anything. The messages included the name of a person who commented on the picture and the name of the person who posted it - I did go to high school with those people. I''m wondering if this is legitimate or whether it''s a phishing scam. I know that Facebook accounts can be hacked, and I won''t ever open an account with them or MySpace or Twitter.

Has anyone else gotten E mails like that, and are they legitimate?

 

[April20]

Do these people have your email address? If so, I don''t think it''s a scam. I haven''t tried to link someone to a photo of them when they''re not on FB, but I do know that when you initially set up an account, FB will send emails to people it finds in your address book that don''t have an account, to try to get them to sign up. I''m thinking it might be doing the same thing with the photo.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Hi, April20!

I''ve never opened a Facebook account, and I have no idea how they got my work E-mail address. At first I thought the E mails were legitimate because I did go high school with the people they mentioned. Then I started wondering whether someone hacked into those people''s accounts. I haven''t had any contact with anyone from high school, so the person who posted the picture and the person who commented don''t have my E-mail address.

 

[neatfreak]

Honestly, it probably is some kind of virus/scam if you don''t have a FB account. If you don''t talk to these people just don''t click on it.

 

[chiapet]

It may be a scam. My coworker''s FB or email account was hacked and everyone on her contact list (including myself) received multiple emails about pictures being tagged but it turned out to be a scam email. Always be careful with attachments!

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Thanks, everyone.

If those 2 people''s accounts were hacked, I wouldn''t have been on their contact lists.
We''re blocked from going onto Facebook at work. When I clicked on the link, it said access was restricted. I forwarded one of the e-mails to my I phone, which was where I got the message that I had to create a Facebook account in order to see the picture. I deleted the E-mail at that point.

 

[kas baby]

I would definitely delete it. Some viruses are spread that way. over the summer, the computer of a friend of mine got the virus. it took all of her logins and passwords, then spammed everyone in her contacts with messages like "I can''t believe you did this" with a link to a fake youtube video or something like that. If you click on the link, which many people do because they are insanely curious and like to see/read about themselves- surprise! you got the virus too. She had a pain in the butt time trying to remove it

 

[miraclesrule]

It could also be an accidental consequence when a person you know opens a FB account and it notifies every person in their address book for their email. Many first timers on FB don''t understand the set up process and therefore I have received a few emails asking me to click to someone''s profile.

My latest friend who did that said she was so embarrassed because a message went to her former boss. We both started laughing because she used to be my co-worker so I know the person to whom she was referring.

Most of the time it truly is an innocent snafu caused by a person (in my case a highly intelligent person) who allowed FB access to their outlook address list and everyone they have ever emailed EVER, gets a notification. If you don''t have a FB account and don''t wish to do sign up, it''s fine, just delete the email with the link.

I think you''re safe.

 

[April20]

Date: 11/15/2009 10:29:23 AM
Author: Madam Bijoux
Hi, April20!

I''ve never opened a Facebook account, and I have no idea how they got my work E-mail address. At first I thought the E mails were legitimate because I did go high school with the people they mentioned. Then I started wondering whether someone hacked into those people''s accounts. I haven''t had any contact with anyone from high school, so the person who posted the picture and the person who commented don''t have my E-mail address.

If they don''t have your email address then it''s weird. I''d delete the emails and definitely don''t click any attachments. FB tends to invade your address book and you do have to be careful not to send random emails to people- it''s literally a matter of accidently hitting "yes" when you meant to hit "no", so it wouldn''t surprise me for you to get the emails if they had your address. Being that they don''t, I have no explanation for what you got. DE-LETE.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Thanks again, everyone!

It''s a shame that people can take a pleasant thing like FB and ruin it that way.

 

[MonkeyPie]

It''s a virus. For future reference, never click a link unless you actually have contact with the person supposedly sending it so you can ask if they really sent it or not. Just a general rule of thumb.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Thanks, MonkeyPie.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

The only messages I've gotten were from people I knew well and had recently taken pictures. The emails said I'd been "tagged." That was before becoming a member. The pictures they tagged me with were terrible. I deleted them after I joined up!

If you don't want to be a member of FB or deal with that, just ignore the emails.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

I''m going to ignore the e-mails-thanks again, everyone.