Bebo Warning

[Tonyblack]

I'm not sure about this but I think it's a virus working through Bebo.

I got a message apparently from a friend (and member of this site) through Bebo. The message said "This could be the start of your acting career" and contained a link. I clicked the link and got a video that tried to load but said I didn't have the latest version of Flashplayer. When I tried to install the Flashplayer (from the link provided) my anti virus software blocked it.

A short while ago I got a message from another contact of mine on Bebo (and this board) saying that they got a video from me that they couldn't open and that their AV said it was infected.

This link seems to confirm a possible virus.

If any of you get such a message - even from a friend, DO NOT TRY TO OPEN IT.

Tony

[MoRt]

This also happens on msn and i have seen it alot it usually says " hey check out this pic " then a link leading to the virus.
It reads your contact list and sends everyone else the same message.
best thing to cure it is by ignoring the link and asking the person who sends the link to verify that they have sent it.
The major problem is that it can also read keystrokes E.G passwords account details.

[silverstreak]

Thanks for the warning Tony.
It wasn't me....honestly.

[chris.ph]

it was mentioned in the papers today
cheers tony

[Tiffany]

Thanks for the warning, Tony.

[Jinx]

There is a ton of similar messages going through. Luckily most anti-virus software seems sharp enough to catch them. One of the good things about the bebo messaging is that links can't be disguised. Even if you come across a 'Click Here' style of link, the real URL tends to show in the bottom left of your browser (though these can be faked too). If you are unfamiliar with the site address try doing a google search for it, you may get tons of hits that contain warnings about it.

I'm concerned about the lack of communication from Bebo about this though. I have had similar messages from most of my friends and so far nothing from bebo. I've contacted everyone on my friendlist about it and have since seen a number of "XXXX says:...Bebo Virus Warning..."

Like I said the anti-virus seems to be sharp and I don't know of anyone who has had any real problems with it, so far. Either way I was shamed into increasing my own online vigilance, after being caught out by the first message.

Plus my apologies - It never even occurred to me to post a warning on any forums.

[DEATHSotherDAUGHTER]

Thanks for the warning-
Ive already has something like this happen, and ive only been on bebo a couple of months.
Luckily my laptop completely blocked it.

[Tonyblack]

I thought (as I got one this morning) that I'd post this warning about e-cards apparently from Hallmark.

Here's what Hallmark say about how to recognise a genuine e-card notification:

How to tell if a Hallmark E-Card notification is real:

The subject line of legitimate E-Card notifications from Hallmark will say, "A Hallmark E-Card from (name of the sender)" not a generic term like "friend," "neighbor" or "family member.
The e-mail notification will come from the sender's e-mail address, not Hallmark.com.
The notification will include a link to the E-Card on Hallmark.com as well as a URL that can be pasted into a browser.
The URL will begin with http://hallmark.com/ followed by characters that identify the individual E-Card. Hover your mouse over the words "click here" in your e-mail. If you do not see the URL above, it is not a legitimate Hallmark E-Card.
Hallmark E-Cards are not downloaded and they are not .exe files.
In addition, Hallmark.com will never require an E-Card recipient to enter a user name or password nor any other personal information to retrieve an E-Card.

E-mail Safety Tips

Do not open e-mails from unknown senders.
Don't open an e-mail you know to be spam. A code embedded in spam advertises that you opened the e-mail and confirms your address is valid, which in turn can generate more spam.
If you receive an attachment that you are not expecting, don't open it, even if it's from someone you know. First read the e-mail, and make sure the attachment is most likely legitimate. If you're still not sure, call or e-mail the sender to confirm, but do not reply to the original e-mail.
Some fraudulent e-mails that appear to be from financial companies (PayPal, banks, credit card companies, etc.) direct the reader to click on a link to verify or confirm account details. Never click these links. Instead, call the company if you are concerned about your account.

Luckily I was already aware of this problem and didn't open the card - but beware as these things look genuine.