14 DAY TRIAL // Scams that circulate on social media networks, especially Facebook, are not uncommon, each day users stumbling upon fake ads that promise adult tapes, coupons, funny and outrageous footage, and fabulous prizes. Now, Zuckerberg’s company retaliates by suing a firm that’s suspected of using malicious tactics to spread spam.
According to a press release, the Washington State Office of the Attorney General and Facebook filed a lawsuit against Ascend Media, an ad network suspected of developing and encouraging others to spread spam by using numerous techniques, including clickjacking.
“We don’t ‘like’ schemes that illegally trick Facebook users into giving up personal information or paying for unwanted subscription services through spam,” Attorney General Rob McKenna said.
“We applaud Facebook for devoting significant technical and legal resources to finding and stopping scams as soon as possible – and often before they even start. We’re proud to join forces in order to protect Washington consumers.”
Both Facebook and the authorities are hoping that these sorts of actions will discourage spammers and send them a warning message so they’ll know that fraud campaigns aren’t left unpunished.
“Security is an arms race, and that’s why Facebook is committed to constantly improving our consumer safeguards while pursuing and supporting civil and criminal consequences for bad actors,” Facebook General Counsel Ted Ullyot said.
So let’s take a quick look at how the scams described in the lawsuit work.
First, users are offered content or products that may raise interest, but the much-promised prize is not offered without the unsuspecting victim being requested to complete a number of steps.
While some scams nicely ask for a Like and some private information, others rely on hidden Like buttons and other tricks to make sure they’re promoted more intensely.
Facebook is making considerable efforts to stop this malicious phenomenon, but for now it’s difficult to completely eradicate these scams. This is why users are advised to beware on what they click while surfing social networks.