Facebook users need to be on high alert for a website called www .wasvideo. com that’s hacking accounts and blasting spam. This emerging cyber threat is red hot. Scambook’s data suggests that over 11,000 Facebook users were hit by wasvideo over the March 23-24 weekend and the phishing malware may still be active.
Let’s take a look at the facts about wasvideo and review the steps you should take if your Facebook security has been compromised.
Wasvideo Phishing Scam Hacks Your Facebook with a Fake Login
Here’s what happens. Victims receive a Facebook message from one of their friends with a variation of the following message:
Are you in thiss videeo on FB Natalie:P Skip to 1:43 omggg lol. Tyype in wiithout spacces and search your name ——-> www .wasvideo. com
Wondering if you are in “thiss videeo”? If you visit www.wasvideo.com to find out, you’re automatically redirected to “www.fizikubook.com”.
Our secure browser flagged this second site as a Reported Web Forgery, a security threat “designed to trick you into revealing personal or financial information by imitating sources you may trust.”
The alert noted that “entering any information on this web page may result in identity theft or other fraud.” Yikes!
Folks, don’t try this at home! To analyze the threat, we ignored the warning and visited fizikubook.com. Sure enough, wasvideo/fizikubook is a perfect copy of Facebook’s login page. It’s virtually identical to the real thing.
The give-away (aside from Firefox’s warning)? Our browser displayed this URL, http://www.fizikubook.com/indexv2.php, not https://www.facebook.com.
If your browser doesn’t catch the threat and you’re not paying attention to your URLs, this warning sign is very easy to miss.
And if you enter your Facebook information, the website hijacks your Facebook profile and uses it to send even more www .wasvideo. com messages to your Facebook friends. That’s how the scam spreads.
What To Do If You’re a Victim of the Wasvideo Facebook Scam
If wasvideo stole your Facebook login information, take some immediate steps to protect your account:
- Change your password immediately
- Look for the warning signs that you’ve been hacked
- Visit https://www.facebook.com/hacked just to be safe
You should also alert your Facebook friends:
- Tell them to ignore any strange messages they may have received from you or anyone else
- Share the news about this cyber threat. Use the Facebook Share button at the top or bottom of this post to help get the word out
You can help the friend who sent you the original www. wasvideo .com message, too. Report their message as spam on Facebook, then contact them through another channel like email or text message.
Your friend might not know that he or she has been hacked. Tell them to visit Facebook’s Security Center to contact Facebook support.
Remember, never enter your username and password on any site unless you’re sure it’s trustworthy. Always check the URL and be on guard against anything suspicious. If a website redirects you to a completely different site without warning, that’s a red flag.
You should also make sure that your computer’s web browser and anti-virus software are always up-to-date.
Were You Hacked on Facebook?
Have you ever been hacked on Facebook? Was it easy to get your account restored? Tell us about your Facebook security experiences in the comments.
See Also
Facebook Privacy Bug Exposes 6 Million User Phone Numbers, Emails
Facebook Hoax Alert: Fake Virus Warning Scares Microsoft Windows Users
Dangerous Facebook Trojan Virus Can Empty Your Bank Account
What’s wasvideo
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