3 min read

Scavengers Assault Social Networks

Ioana Jelea

February 16, 2012

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Scavengers Assault Social Networks

Every last bit of info even remotely related to the tragic event makes it to the top of trending topic lists. It`s gone far beyond paying respects to an admired public figure or keeping people informed about the findings of the investigation. Not the first time, that`s true. But how about making it the last one so all troubled souls (avid tabloid readers` included) can rest in peace?

Not so long ago, we warned you the fake add-on/extension trend is here to stay. A few days ago, it was wrapped in a “hero next door” story. Now, it`s got Whitney Houston`s name on it. Plus a spreading mechanism ” fake check-ins ” that we`ve already untangled here. So, what`s different this time? Aside from the celebrity bait, nothing much, which should send some pretty serious shivers down our spines. Ultimately it`s morbid curiosity that gets you into trouble.

Let`s go through the motions of this dance of death”¦again:

Messages that draw crowds because they promise video evidence of a “dark secret”. Considering the outpour of CSI-like drama series that act like true institutes of higher education in the exhilarating art of deciphering the stories behind dead bodies, it`s very easy to understand why someone would even be interested in coronary literature.

Next step, you get your textbook example of a fake add-on/extension scam. As you supposedly don`t have the latest YouTube Player version installed, you need to get it before you proceed:

Instead of an update, you end up with an unverified add-on:

Click if you will, and reach the shores of Quiz Maze Unlimited:

If your frustration is not punishment enough, wait till you see what this trip does to your reputation:

As you can see it in the screenshot above, you`ve taken quite a few friends with you. Talk about being caught with your pants down!

You won`t be condemned to eternal pains and sorrows if you remove the unauthorized add-on from your browser. If you do not know the steps, you can read them here for Firefox and here for Chrome. Of course, accessing Facebook from a clean browser is another option, but just a temporary one. Unauthorized browser add-ons can be updated by their developer and create even more issues.

If you`re on the receiving end of this sad joke, please think twice before you click this kind of shared content and make sure you adjust your tagging options (as detailed here) so you don`t spread the scam even further.

All product and company names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners.

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Ioana Jelea

Ioana Jelea has a disturbing (according to friendly reports) penchant for the dirty tricks of online socialization and for the pathologically mesmerizing news trivia.

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