Facebook Complaint - Capturing my address book and sending unauthorized mail to all on the list

Posted by ChuhBaca on 2011-08-01:

That is a hacker or a virus or something. Make sure your anti-virus is updated, run it, and change your passwords. Facebook doesn't do that, hackers do.

Posted by Anonymous on 2011-08-01:

^^^^What ChuhBaca said^^^^

Posted by MRM on 2011-08-01:

ChuBaca, you're absolutely correct that the user's computer has been infected with spywares/viruses. But I would not heavily rely on anti-virus programs to get rid of viruses. Instead, I recommend that you format harddrive and re-install Windows.

Posted by Old Timer on 2011-08-01:

Good rule of thumb, if you see the hard drive light pegged solid and you have not touched your PC in awhile it could very well be sending out 1,000's of spam emails as part of a larger BOT network.

The virus will lie dormant until called upon to do it's eveil work. The best quick fix is to just unplug the PC. Then dig into the cause and cure.

Posted by Vinnie11 on 2011-08-01:

Did you set up Fbook on your cell phone? If you did, chances are you opted to sync your address book. It's a no-no for too many reasons to list but they do so with your permission. They then take your whole address book and attempt to match them with folks who are already on Fbook. When they first started doing it, they didn't even warn you but I think they now have an option where you can choose to link the two or not. Log into Facebook and click on the Friends option right at the top next to their logo. Click on SEE ALL FRIENDS. Look to the left and click on the link that says CONTACTS and see how many "Phonebook Contacts" you have listed. I have none because I did not agree to the sync. If you have contacts there, you most likely did. There is information to the right of the page that will assist you in removing the contacts but I do not know how successful you will be. Hope this helps.

Posted by BEJ on 2011-08-01:

I got one of those messages from one of my friends stating she was stranded in London and would I send her money. I called her--nope not in London--total fake message.

Posted by Old Timer on 2011-08-01:

BEJ, I just got one of those last week myself. Two issues, one I already was aware it was a scam. And two, the idiot had the names all wrong and screwed up.

I sent them back an email and said if you're that close to a Wsetern Union office ask them for a job. I figure you know how they work very well.

Posted by madconsumer on 2011-08-01:

this has happened to me as well. make sure to change your passwords, and go into your email profile, and verify if your email has been forwarded. i had to 'un-select' the forward option.

also report this to facebook via their comment section.

hackers have no life.

Posted by PepperElf on 2011-08-03:

make sure your friends also have antivirus... it's possible they passed you something