(Last Updated On: March 24, 2022)

SCARSSCARS SCARS - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. A government registered crime victims' assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization based in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. SCARS supports the victims of scams worldwide and through its partners in more than 60 countries around the world. Incorporated in 2015, its team has 30 years of continuous experience educating and supporting scam victims. Visit www.AgainstScams.org to learn more about SCARS.™ Special Report: Fake Pages – TrojanTrojan Software that's hidden within apparently harmless data — or masquerades as a regular program — and when activated, can deliver such blows as corrupting data on your hard drive or sending files and account information to hackers. Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans do not self-replicate and spread to other computers. Pages

We all know the story of a Trojan HorseTrojan Horse Software that's hidden within apparently harmless data — or masquerades as a regular program — and when activated, can deliver such blows as corrupting data on your hard drive or sending files and account information to hackers. Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans do not self-replicate and spread to other computers., right? We have heard about Trojan computer viruses too!

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WHAT IS A “TROJAN PAGE”?

Simply it is a page that looks completely real. That is, it looks real unless you look close.

Sometimes you have to be a subject matter expert to see that a page (or even a website) is not quite right!
Most of the time, a TROJAN PAGE has a large amount of content or posts. It can be well written, and the posts make sense because they are all thematic – about a specific subject. You would not suspect it at first glance.

The same could be said about your scammerScammer A Scammer or Fraudster is someone that engages in deception to obtain money or achieve another objective. They are criminals that attempt to deceive a victim into sending more or performing some other activity that benefits the scammer. too right?

But that is the idea – to lull you into a sense of overconfidence – just like your scamScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost.!

Remember your romance scam? At first glance, you would think it was a real person too right? But you (most of you) have learned that first glances can be deceiving – or at least you should have learned that.

What is a TROJAN PAGE for?

It depends on the context.

• We know the Russians create fake political pages and use them as weapons to affect political opinions and election outcomes everywhere in the world.
• Advertisers use fake TROJAN PAGES as a kind of clickbait – using social engineeringSocial Engineering Social engineering is the psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. It is used as a type of confidence trick for the purpose of information gathering, fraud, or system access, it differs from a traditional "con" in that it is often one of many steps in a more complex fraud scheme. It has also been defined as "any act that influences a person to take any action that may or may not be in their best interests." to pull unsuspecting consumers to products or services – some real some not real.
• You have all seen articles for “The 10 Most Shocking Truths About Childhood Piercings” or something equally outrageous.
• We also know that scammers create fake pages for the purpose of harvesting victims who seek knowledge about scamsScams A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost., so they can victimize them again!

There are TROJAN PAGES or FAKE PAGES for virtually every subject.

The intent behind these pages is not always clear, but there is always a reason.

Top Reasons For Cybercriminal Fake Pages on Facebook:

• Victim Harvesting – identifying possible/probably targets for other follow-on scamsFollow-on scams A follow-on scam is an attempt by scammers or fraudsters to approach a previous scam victim again. They typically take the form of money recovery services, private investigators - offering services to desperate scam victims. They can also be government impersonation scams leveraging a victim's need for law enforcement support. Additionally, blackmail scams such as sextortion can be a follow-on scam since they typically take place after the main scam attempt.
• MalwareMalware Short for "malicious software," this term means computer viruses and other types of programs that cybercriminals use to disrupt or access your computer, typically with the aim of gathering sensitive files and accounts. Delivery via FAKE POSTS – creating a real looking post linked to a website – but the website is not a real media website, it is a malware delivery webpage – clicking the link loads the fake website and the malware script
• Phishing Scams – like the Malware Delivery, fake posts linked to Phishing ScamPhishing scam Scammers often use email "phishing" to hook unsuspecting fraud victims. Treat all unsolicited email and spam as suspicious: Do not open or reply. To avoid loading malicious software onto your computer or device, never click a link – even from a trusted source – unless you've verified its authenticity. Be especially wary of emails asking for emergency funds or help from friends, family and colleagues. Their email accounts may have been hacked. Scammers will also pretend to be government agencies in scam emails. webpages are vastly common. You land of a real looking webpage that may ask you to subscribe, then they send you to another page or send you targeted phishing emails
• Fake Groups Attracting Believers – zillions of fake or amateur pretender groups want you to believe they are going to save you and that they are the only ones that know the truth about their subject – from politics to diet & health to anti-scam groups – it is always the same misinformation or urban legends.

There are many more reasons why these exist, and the ways in which they can attack you personally or a business you work for.

What are the lessons you learned from romance scams?

VERIFY BEFORE YOU TRUST – ALWAYS!

When you find a new Facebook page always look at the ABOUT section FIRST – see what they say. Do they give you their company information? Do they have a corporate or business website, is it a real company?

Look at our SCARS Pages on social media and on the web. Do we do this? Are we real? Hell yes!

Forget the amateurs and their silly scammer smart nonsense. You do not have to be smart, you have to be PARANOID!

TRUST NO ONE! UNTIL YOU KNOW THEM!

Works for romance scammers! Works for Fake Pages too!

Why do you shop at places you know? Trust!

Why do you not drive through the worst parts of town? Trust!

YOU HAVE TO SAVE YOURSELF!

YOU have to be PARANOID to avoid the predators online that are after your money, your data, your time, your eyeballs, your emotions, your children, and even your lives!

Yes, you may be PARANOID, but it doesn’t mean they are not after you! THEY ARE! ALL THE TIME!

Here is an EXAMPLE of a brilliantly done FAKE PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/advcybsec/ Would you ever have suspected it? We spotted it in 3 minutes! But we are cybersecurity experts – most of you never would have!

The same will be true for vast numbers of other Fake Pages. BUT if you apply the lesson in this article – look at the ABOUT FIRST, look at the details, use the “SCARS Scammer’s Star” you will be able to avoid them!

Remember, it may be intriguing, interesting, or seductive, but most traps are!

Got It? Get Paranoid!

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SCARS™ Team
A SCARS Division
Miami Florida U.S.A.

 

 

TAGS: SCARS, Important Article, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Fake Social Media Pages, Fake Pages, Trojan Pages, Fake Web Pages, Victim Traps

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