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Survey scammers exploit Facebook dislike lure

D. Odgybloke likes this

Chancers are punting a survey scam on Facebook that poses as a curmudgeonly response to the social network's 'Like' button.

Offers for the "Dislike" button use the same basic attention-seeking ruse as previous come-ons including "Justin Bieber trying to flirt" and (unrelated, you mucky minded lot)) "the biggest and scariest snake" (aka 'Anaconda coughs up a hippo') scam.

All three approaches and more falsely promise eye-catching content in a bid to trick users into allowing a rogue application to access their profile that posts spam messages and attempts to con users in completing time-wasting online surveys.

The "dislike" button (in contrast to Facebook's "like" button) is intended to allow users of the social network to give the thumbs-down on other users' posts, links and uploads. Users tricked into allowing the application will end up spamming their contacts with scam lures, a type of communication that has become endemic on the social network over recent weeks.

Surfers hoping to use the applications supposedly need to complete an online survey that leaves the scammers (affiliates) quids in before before offering a Firefox browser add-on that applies a Facebook dislike button, developed by legitimate developer FaceMod.

"As far as we can tell, FaceMod aren't connected with the scam - their browser add-on is simply being used as bait," explains net security firm Sophos in a write-up to the scam here.

The application (which we haven't tested and can't therefore endorse) can be downloaded directly without having to jump through hoops, spam friends and complete stupid surveys. ®

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