Internet scam targets users of social networking website

Dubai: Users of social networking websites are being warned to be on the lookout for internet scams, after reports of 'phishing' attempts on UAE based Facebook accounts.

The scam comes in the form of a Facebook email, from a Rashed Jones who claims to work with Fidelity Bank Nigeria Plc, and has been sent to several users in the UAE.

It says that Jones is representing the family of a late industrialist. However, the name has cropped up on similar email scams in the past. The message goes on to claim that the whole family died in a car crash in Nigeria, leaving no-one to give a $17.8m fortune to.

It then asks for a full name, residential address, telephone number, email address, date of birth and occupation. It is the first time that 'phishing' - a term given to attempts to gain money or sensitive security information by using fake emails - has been reported by Facebook users in the UAE.

Internet security firm Symantec also issued a warning in April of this year that the security settings of social networking websites could leave users open to phishing expeditions. It said that the "illusion of privacy" that these groups provided made people feel safer about disclosing information. UAE-based Facebook users said that they were not worried by the new phenomena.

Denny, a media executive based in Dubai, who received the email said the best advice would be to report the user to Facebook, who could then take appropriate action.

He said: "It was only a matter of time before phishing started on Facebook. It does after all have email.

"The best thing to do is not to panic, or reply. But to let the people in charge of Facebook know. It's usually pretty obvious when someone has received a phishing email." Faisal, a Dubai based student, said: "Being a target of phishing scams is not something new and it is no surprise that it has found its way onto Facebook as well.

"Sadly, Facebook does not have a junk mail folder, but I think that most users on Facebook are technologically savvy enough to spot a phishing scam when they see one and the best thing to do is to delete such messages immediately."

Facebook itself has also indicated that it is taking the problem seriously.

A recent post on one of its blogs warning that programme developers who get caught "deceptively notifying users or tricking them into taking actions will be banned from sending users notifications."