14 DAY TRIAL // Scammers have most likely noticed that there’s no better way to promote their survey schemes than by promising potential victims all sorts of prizes, especially iPads and iPhones. The latest scam leverages not only such rewards, but also the fact that internauts are often curious to see what hides behind a link.
It all starts with a direct message in Twitter that reads “did you see your pics with her,” followed by a link to a Facebook app.
Security researchers from GFI Labs have analyzed the link and they've found that users who click on it are taken to a Facebook app page which executes a PHP script. After the script is run, victims are taken to a shady website that replicates a Facebook event page.
To make sure that users are tempted to continue the process, the event is called “Apple iPad 3s Quality Test – Looking for participants.”
At this point, victims are promised a free iPad as long as they participate in the quality test and submit a review after two weeks.
However, in this particular case, the crooks have added something extra to the scam. They have posted fake messages in which other alleged participants were claiming to have already received their iPad 3 packages.
Those who choose to enroll the so-called quality test are urged to complete various surveys and provide contact information that’s needed to “ensure delivery” of the iPad.
A close look at their “Marketing disclosure” reveals that by submitting their details, users are actually agreeing to receive automated marketing calls to both their mobile phone and their landline.
Unfortunately, over 4,500 users have already fallen for it and have visited the shady Facebook app. It’s uncertain how many of them have completed the entire process, but even if only a few of them have provided their information and completed the surveys, the scammers have certainly made a profit.