“Free Apple iPad” Scam Spreading on Facebook & Twitter

Think you’ve been given the chance to sign up as an iPad tester via Facebook? No you haven’t – it’s a scam which actually signs you up to a premium rate mobile service, warns the security company Sophos.

Looks like this is a month of scams. First it was twitter where people were getting Direct Messages which contained links to phishing pages. And now it’s once again Twitter plus Facebook!

“Facebook pages with names such as “iPad researchers Wanted – Get an iPad Early And Keep It!” and “The Mega iPad Giveaway!” prey on the public’s desire to own a free iPad,” said Sophos.

According to Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, here’s how it works :

The scam pages typically take their intended victims through a three-step process,

1. “Become a Fan” of the page
2. “Invite your friends” to also become fans of the page, and take part in the “special promotion” they might not stay your friends afterwards :p )
3. “Claim” or “Apply” for your prize.

Then the people are made to sign up for a premium rate service, costing you in the region of $10 every week, until you unsubscribe. The scammers who created the fake iPad pages are undoubtedly skimming off some of this money by bringing new unwitting subscribers to the sell phone service.

Some of the pages pretend to have thousands of positive comments from other Facebook users claiming that the offer is genuine.

Moreover, it’s also running on Twitter – so beware there of people accounts offering “Freee Apple iPad!” or similar. You should note that Apple hasn’t actually begun selling the iPad yet and it won’t do until April.

[ via Sophos Blog ]