back to article Facebook 'stalker tracker' tool just makes you a spammer

Scammers are attempting to tap into users' concerns about social network privacy with a tool that supposedly allows surfers to monitor who's stalking them on Facebook. The rogue applications supposedly offer information about who has viewed one's Facebook profile, and how many times it has been viewed. In reality the app, …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    FB users being scammed

    couldn't think a better user group to attack.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    old news?

    surprised that this has taken so long to become news. Had to remove it from my wifes account about three weeks ago. Or is that quick in the AV world?

  3. Cameron Colley

    Is it in any way possible to find out if a Facebook app is safe?

    From the stories like this it seems that Facebook apps are, at least in general, not really an option. Or is there something I'm missing?

  4. Matt Hawkins
    Megaphone

    First Rule of Facebook

    First rule of Facebook

    1) Never, never, never, never install any "app". Mainly because they are all crap but also because they are full of security holes and you've got no way of protecting yourself.

    Also by not installing stupid Farm-ville-pillow-fight-stalker-shite you can go and do something more productive with the time.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Stop

      Re:First Rule of Facebook

      Never sign up to facebook?

  5. Paratrooping Parrot
    Flame

    Main problem with Facebook apps

    I used to use Facebook applications. I clicked yes to everything. Then I heard about how Zynga were making money on the side by selling user data. From then on, I don't say "yes". Unfortunately most of my friends have ignored my advice because they use Facebook to play the games. Everytime you install an app, they want full access to everything! Why would PetVille want access to my photos?

    Now, I don't like Apple's "app store", but the one thing they have done is that each application is checked, and the chance of getting dodgy stuff is small. Facebook on the other hand, anything goes! All the apps are hosted on different servers, so they can tweak the app whenever they want and have it stealing all your personal information. I have noticed in the early days, there was a gardening app, then suddenly they changed it into dating stuff.

    1. LaeMing
      Happy

      Re: Gardening app -> dating app

      In a perfect world, that dating app would have been flooded with profiles of leeks and cabbages seeking other leeks and cabbages to polinate with.

      We can dream.

  6. Richard Wharram

    New?

    Things like this have been doing the rounds for years. Only idiots install Facebook apps as they can be full of crap. Also, Facebook will never let you track down 'stalkers' , as half the male users would have no use for it if they did that.

    (Not that I've ever looked for bikini shots of my female friends or friends of friends. Don't judge me by your standards !)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Thank fuck

      I had a bit of a sweat last week, having got a message on my seldom-bothered-with facebook account, from a very attractive female acquaintance, whose photos i did browse through for a few minutes - boring boring, mostly pictures of her stupid dogs. Thought i'd have a nose anyway, isn't that what posting is about?

      I shut down the account. I could go and re-open it, but haven't missed it yet.

  7. Tron Silver badge

    Disable the 'Facebook Platform' in your privacy options...

    ...which means no using or sharing data with apps. Sorted.

    You can never be sure about them, so best avoid them all. The site is perfectly usable without ever touching an app.

  8. Rich 30
    Stop

    dollars

    You'd think Facebook has enough money to actually check any of the apps before they are published.

    I hate facebook "apps" and games, mostly beucase the only part of them i see is the spam.

  9. Glenn Alexander
    Badgers

    Facebook already waves your stalkers in your face.

    My ex's name started popping up in the friends-suggestion box regularly, despite us having no friends or activities in common (the account in question was empty other than her name). I assume if some stranger is regularly hitting your page FB thinks you may want to be their friend.

    Since the only things I talk about on FB are the most innane things about my life - such as how good my laundry smelled when I put in too much bleach; my new web page about my great new job. I hope she enjoyed it. I spiked in a few commenes on why my ex is my ex, for good measure.

  10. Marvin the Martian
    Stop

    Fear of stalkers?

    I think it's generically the opposite --- fear of unpopularity!

    "What's wrong with people? Why isn't anyone reading my profile? When do they give up, it it the line about living in mom's basement?" etc.

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