A new type of imposter scam using Facebook’s Sharer dialog, has been detected. Facebook’s Sharer dialog is typically used by website owners to share content on Facebook. This scam tricks users into thinking there is a problem with their account and that they need to call one of the provided phone numbers to resolve it. If one of the provided numbers is phoned, an imposter posing as Facebook Support may ask to take over your computer to address the problem. The scammer may attempt to install malware or to sell you unnecessary or malicious software and may also steal your payment information in the process.
The following is an example of the spoofed “Share on Facebook” dialog with the phony warning message (please note the grammar errors in this message which are a tell-tale sign of phishing!):
Image courtesy of Bleeping Computer
Please be advised that there are no Tech Support phone numbers for Facebook. If you have called a purported Facebook Tech Support phone number, it is recommended that you change your Facebook password asap and enable two-factor authentication on your Facebook account. Additionally, if you have provided access to your computer or installed any provided software, scan your computer using antivirus malware protection software, and delete anything identified as a problem and restart your computer at the conclusion of the process. For information on NYU provided antivirus software, please see the following KBase article, Symantec Endpoint Protection access and eligibility.