BBB: Online 'Friend' Could Be Hacker, Virus

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - WLKY.com

If you're signed up on a social networking site like Facebook or Twitter; be careful about getting flattering messages from someone you think may be your friend.

Figures from the FBI show cyber identity thieves are targeting people on social networking sites and the Louisville Better Business Bureau has getting complaints about it over the past several months.

“So many people use Facebook and Twitter, they got to be really cautious about the messages that come to them,” said Better Business Bureau communications director Reanna Smith-Hamblin.

Smith-Hamblin should know. She's among those Facebook users who received a message asking her to check out an uncompromising picture of herself. Luckily, she had already been warned by other Facebook users it was bogus.

“I actually got one of those myself and it's not a good thing. Don't click on the link. You find out it's either a phishing scam or even could be a virus,” said Smith-Hamblin.

She said scam artists are stealing usernames and passwords from social networking sites like and sending out the fake messages.

The FBI said since 2006 nearly 3,200 social networking account hijacking cases have been reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Smith-Hamblin said the numbers are bound to grow.

“More and more people using Facebook, Twitter. More social networking sites are coming out. It's going to get worse before it gets better and I don't know if it'll ever be better. People just need to be more educated so they don't fall for things like this,” said Smith-Hamblin.

Smith-Hamblin said you can help protect yourself by setting your settings to private on social networking sites.

Meanwhile, Facebook has reportedly developed an automated system that spots and freezes accounts that sending out an unusually high number of messages to their friends.

Most Popular Stories at WLKY

• Pink House Angers Neighbors
• Fire Destroys Part Of Campbellsburg Train Depot
• 'Zombies' Take Over Kentucky Kingdom
• Metro Police Investigate Weekend Meth Lab Fire
• Elderly Couple Killed In Greenbelt Accident

MORE FROM THELOUISVILLECHANNEL.COM

TheLouisvilleChannel.com Section Front

Sypher Faces More Federal Charges Two Arrested In Connection With Pit Bull Attack Police Seek Missing Girl Air Conditioners Stolen From Local Businesses 4 Arraigned In Double Slaying Case TheLouisvilleChannel.com Section Front   Add TheLouisvilleChannel.com headlines to your news reader: