Over the weekend I wrote about the new “Error Check System” application that was running rampant. A new application is now making the rounds less then a week later. I’ve received numerous emails this morning reporting the issue. The application is called “f a c e b o o k – - closing down!!!” and it automatically sends out a notice to all of your friends saying that you reported them for violating their terms of service.
It will show up as a notification just like the Error Check System application did. Facebook clearly runs the risk of multiple more applications like this popping up on a regular basis. The Facebook Error Check system was a bit more malicious in that they used black hat SEO techniques to drive users to install spyware on their system. When you searched Google, the first thing that popped up was a link to a page which installed the spyware on your system.
So far it doesn’t appear that this application uses the same techniques and is instead attempting to drive new users. Within hours of the application being posted, it was also apparently shut down as I can no longer view it. Many of the spam application developers are using a strategy of making notifications and messages look like they are actual messages from Facebook.
This is clearly a big issue for Facebook and theoretically they could just create an internal warning system that monitors notifications being sent through the platform. It’s surprising that these exploits have only begun popping up recently. My guess is that we’ll see a few more of these take place before the problem is officially resolved.
Have you been receiving any sketchy notifications from friends? If so definitely let us know!
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To quote
"This is clearly a big issue for Facebook and theoretically they could just create an internal warning system that monitors notifications being sent through the platform"
If they did that, they would probably get more bad press. It would be the Terms of Service issues all over again.
Comment by Cody — February 26, 2009 @ 8:04 am
Nick, did the app make it into the gallery, or was it simply out of developer's sandbox mode?
If the latter is the case, Facebook might need to instate MySpace's policy which is to only make apps installable by non-developers once they've been approve for the gallery.
A pain in the butt for legitimate developers, but it works.
Comment by Matt Kelly — February 26, 2009 @ 10:15 am
I just got a message from a friend that:
XXX just reported your profile as it is in violation of Terms and Conditions! Click for Details 20 minutes ago
I Click the application and there was an error, but I talked to my friend and it seems al our freinds are getting it. What I want to know is. Is this a virus of some sort and has our FB information been accessed or computer? or is this just a spyware gimmick?
Ken
Comment by Ken — February 27, 2009 @ 6:55 pm
The application definitely has NOT been closed down. I just received the message this evening, then promptly my profile sent out the message to my friends. It is very frustrating as some of my friends thought I was mad at them and they didn't know why.
Comment by Joanne McCullough — February 27, 2009 @ 7:12 pm
yea i received two of these today.
Comment by Fazel — February 27, 2009 @ 7:36 pm
There's also been a new app that was shuttered pretty quickly – one claiming that your profile is against Facebook's TOS
Comment by Beau Giles — February 27, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
yeah, i got two today, and i guess i was "sending" them to a lot of people.
i don't even care what people put on their profile anyways.
it's stupid.
Comment by bryn — February 28, 2009 @ 12:20 am
Yeah, I got it too, and suddenly all of my friends got one saying I'd reported them. Does this thing access your computer? or is it just a test to see if their virus works? this is weird.
Comment by Adriana — February 28, 2009 @ 4:24 am
I got it todAY AND IT CAUSED ME FRIEND DRAMAS TO
Comment by liz — February 28, 2009 @ 3:51 am
Why doesnt FB warn us about this? In a simple pop-up window on the home page or something? That would have stopped me from clicking in the first place.
Comment by Ken — February 28, 2009 @ 6:07 am
Yes, it happened to me too: "XXXXXX just reported your profile as it is in violation of Terms and Conditions! Click for Details 37 minutes ago" and IT IS NOT SHUT DOWN: I clicked on it and now it shows that I've subscribed this application. I have just removed it first, then blocked the application. Hope it's enough…
Comment by Gaia — February 28, 2009 @ 6:43 am
Same happened to me!
Comment by Awais Naseer Keyani — February 28, 2009 @ 7:14 am
i received that to…………and apparently i send that to some friends…..but i didn't
Comment by grace — February 28, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
I just got 2 of these notifications a half an hour ago and I added the app. and now it won't let me delete it. I go to the application and it says The page you requested was not found. So hopefully Facebook deleted it.. I'm just worried that it's going to find my personal information or hack into my computer…
Comment by Lauren — February 28, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
This message is coming into my notification area – it comes with the FB logo and says my account is about to be shut down click here.
I know this is not true but there is no way to report it to FB because it is not coming from a friend.
Comment by Carole Sanek — February 19, 2010 @ 3:45 am
I received a message from a friend of my. Something like "Is this your photo? Lovee :X" together with a link. I clicked the link and then it shut down my firefox and I cant even run the firefox now T_T What should I do to fix the virus?? I'm now logging in facebook by IE and its realy slow.
Comment by Linh — February 20, 2010 @ 5:07 am