How to avoid Facebook scams?

It's an undebatable fact that Facebook and other social networking sites have revolutionized the Web. But helping people make connections with each other is just one of Facebook's qualities. Another important element is that Facebook allows application developers to create small programs called apps. 

Why do developers create apps? Some developers just want to create a fun application for people to enjoy. The app enhances the user experience on a social network. Others are building programs that are part of a marketing strategy, they hope the application will nudge users to purchase a particular product or subscribe to a service. A few create applications that gather data in order to create targeted advertising. And some are taking advantage of the open nature of Facebook to create malicious programs or run scams in an effort to con users or cause mischief.

How can you avoid these scams? And what should you do if you fall victim to one?

Know How...!!!

When you fill out a Facebook profile, you can include information ranging from your date of birth to your address to personal contact information. Facebook also tracks information about how you use the site. If that information remains private, you feel safe. But what if Facebook shared that information with someone you didn't know?

There are several indicators that can usually clue you in to a scam.

1. Two major red flags that something underhanded is going on are a request for a password or credit card information. Scammers collect passwords or credit card numbers and use that information to take advantage of the victims. These requests might seem perfectly innocent in the context of the app but they should set off alarm bells in your mind. Again, do a little legwork and research the app before you take the plunge.

2. If an app tries to take you to a new page, pay attention to that page's domain name. Some scammers are clever enough to create a mockup of a real Facebook page with a request for your password. If the domain name seems fishy, you shouldn't insert your password. Pop-up messages that advise you to download or install an additional application after you've already started the process are another potential sign of malware. Installing these programs may infect your computer with a virus.

3. Sometimes one of your friends will fall victim to a scam and you'll receive messages that appear to be from him or her. These messages usually ask you to visit a link included in the note. You should send a message to your friend to confirm that it's a legitimate link. It's possible your friend's profile has been compromised and the message was sent to you automatically. If the wording of the message seems odd or unlike your friend's normal style, that's another indicator that something questionable is going on.

4. There's a special name for the way scammers manipulate victims like this: social engineering. While it's true that malicious hackers known as crackers sometimes pierce a system's security by using various software tricks and hacks, it's also common for people to willingly give up information. The scammer just has to make the victim want to share.

So, learn what to avoid on FB. Here are top 10 apps which possibly can create chaos and those are which you need to avoid:

1. Profile Viewers and Profile Blockers - These scams promise to show you who has been looking at your profile or who has blocked you from theirs. NONE of these apps work. Facebook doesn’t give the developers access to the data required to create them.
2. Free iPads & iPhones – Don’t be fooled by messages stating you can test and keep an iPad, iPhone etc. These are all marketing gimmicks.
   
3. Free Facebook Credits – This scam is targeted for the gamers on Facebook. Credits are used to purchase items in Farmville, Cityville, etc. Credits cost real money and you aren’t going to receive a large sum of them for free.
4. Free Items, Gift Cards & Tickets – If it sounds too good to be true, then you can be sure that it is on Facebook! You aren’t going to get free airline tickets, Subway or Starbucks gift cards or a Facebook hoodie just by completing a survey.
   
5. Breaking News Stories – Anytime a major news story breaks, keep your guard up. Scammers love to trick unsuspecting users with promises of “exclusive coverage.”
6. Phishing Attempts to Steal Your Login Info – If a scammer can get your login credentials, then they can wreak all sorts of havoc before you reclaim your account. Messages pretending to be from Facebook Security is a popular way they trick users. Click here for more information on phishing scams.
7. New or Extra Facebook Features - Dislike buttons, apps to change your Facebook color or see who unfriended you are just a few examples of these scams. While there are legitimate browser extensions that can offer these features, scammers often insert adware or malware into the plugins. We recommend that you only install apps and extensions from trusted, well-known developers.
8. Shocking Headlines – Anything that starts out with “OMG” or “Shocking” is best left alone on Facebook. They lure in victims with outlandish, steamy or perverted messages. These usually end in a survey scam and a video that doesn’t play.
9. Fake Celebrity Stories – Facebook is not the place to receive your celebrity news and gossip! Scammers use fake deaths and other sensational stories to entice users. These often spread very fast, because users share the posts before verifying the story.
10. “Help I’m Stranded and Need Money” – If you get a message from a friend stating that they are stranded in London or some other exotic locale, don’t rush down to Western Union to send them cash. They have likely had their Facebook account hi-jacked by scammers.

Now, I don't say there are only these types of scams and no other. But, as you know these are quite easily believed by people as they want to know whether their crush visited profile or not and so go for scammers' apps or they are too kind enough to help those who are in dire need. Don't be a victim...Be cautious and pragmatic!!!