14 DAY TRIAL // A new OMG-type scam is tricking Facebook users into taking surveys by promising them access to a video about identical twins meeting for the first time on Chatroulette.
There seems to be a couple of variations of this scam. One round of spam messages read: "OMG! Look what happens when identical TWINS meet on Chat Roulette! [URL] OMG LOL!! Twins meet for first time ever ON CHAT ROULETTE!! rofl --->> [URL]"
However, another reading "OMG! Look what happens when identical TWINS meet on Chat Roulette! Doubt they will be using Chat Roulette again OMG LOL!! Twins meet for first time ever ON CHAT ROULETTE!! rofl --->> [URL] <<<--- sooo funny …" has also been observed.
As usual, the links take users to rogue Facebook pages created by the scammers, which display fake video thumbnails with a "Click Share to see" caption.
The users who misguidedly click the "Share" button on these pages will post one of the aforementioned spam messages on their walls, thus helping propagate the scam.
Even though the pages claim that sharing is the final step required to view the content, this is far from the truth, as people will also be asked to complete a survey.
Scammers earn hefty commissions for driving users to these surveys, which generally try to sign them up for some useless premium rate mobile service.
This type of 'OMG' scams, which prey on people's curiosity, have been plaguing Facebook for months and the website's security team seems to have a hard time blocking them.
Under these circumstances, the only solution is for users to exercise increased caution when clicking on links distributed on the social network, even if they are sent by friends.
"It's a seedy dirty trick - so don't play into the scammers hands, and think more carefully before you next 'like' or 'share' a suspicious link on Facebook," advises Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos.
If you fall victim to this scam or similar ones, go to your wall and remove all spam links and messages you shared there.
Also, unlike any rogue links you might have liked, then go to Account > Application Settings, change filter to "Authorized" and remove any suspicious-looking application, that you don't recognize, from that list.
If you went as far as completing one of those surveys and you gave your phone number, contact your provider about canceling any services you might have unknowingly subscribed to.