Security researchers are warning users about a new scam circulating on Facebook that promises access to an exclusive video of "Robin Williams' farewell message before his death."
Of course, this is yet another attempt to deceive users by cybercriminals, who exploit human curiosity to make money.
There are multiple campaigns exploiting the death of the popular actor at the moment, and in most cases the scammers try to convince users to complete online surveys, from which they receive a commission. Other variations may lead to websites that serve malicious plug-ins and toolbars or lead to subscriptions to premium SMS subscription services.
The scammers have taken all necessary steps to ensure the success of the campaign. The various versions of the video that have been identified are accompanied by the following text:
“Exclusive video: Robin Williams says goodbye on his cell phone before hanging himself with a belt and slashing himself with a knife. He may still make us laugh with this video, but in the end it will make us all cry.”.
When potential victims click on the video to play, they are taken to a website supposedly associated with the BBC video service.
Initially, users are invited to share the video with their friends in order to show it. In the next step of the scam, users are asked to complete a survey to verify their age, as well as various other personal information. This information is collected by the scammers and used in various criminal activities.
Symantec researchers have already notified Facebook about this scam in order to prevent its spread.
