Eliminate Facebook Message

It is very important to be careful and vigilant when you are using your Facebook account. Why? It is because Facebook scams can lurk for you anywhere. The “Eliminate Facebook Message” scam is a spam campaign that appears to be spreading via the Facebook Messenger. The targeted victim is introduced to a link with their own name attached to it, which, of course, makes the message more personalized, and the user is more likely to click the link. If they do, they can be routed to various websites linked to adware. Unfortunately, it appears that the scam could be used for the distribution of malware, as well as the placement of intrusive tracking cookies used to spy on you. Furthermore, traffic could be boosted to random, potentially malicious sites, and schemers could earn money from this technique. The infection is still pretty mysterious, and while our research team is tracking and analyzing it, caution must be exercised. If you want to learn how to protect yourself from scams or how to remove existing malware, please continue reading.

The “Eliminate Facebook Message” scam is also known by such names as “Facebook Video Virus” or “Facebook Messenger Virus.” As mentioned previously, the scam is introduced to users using a misleading link. This link appears in the bit.ly or t.cn short-link format, and it has the targeted user’s name and the word “Video” attached to it. Additionally, an emoji is appended as well to make the link that much more attractive. If you click the “{your name} Video {emoji}” link, you might be redirected to a Google Doc page containing what appears to be a video. The scam goes as far as to use your own photo taken from Facebook to make the “video” appear authentic. The “play” button in the center of the bogus video hides another redirect link, and if you click it, schemers can receive data about your browser and your location. It was also found that the “Eliminate Facebook Message” scam operates differently depending on the browser that the victim uses. For example, Google Chrome users might be pushed to install malicious extensions (e.g., “GitHub Real Names”) capable of recording Facebook account information. Furthermore, malicious extensions could be used to hijack Facebook accounts and, subsequently, spread the scam further. Safari and Mozilla Firefox users could be introduced to bogus Flash Media Player installers. Needless to say, if you have downloaded anything linked to the scam, you MUST remove it immediately.

If you were introduced to the “Eliminate Facebook Message” scam via Facebook Messenger by someone in your contacts list, the chances are that that person’s account was hijacked. We recommend informing that person so that they could stop the scam on their end. Unfortunately, at this point, it is impossible to say how Facebook accounts are corrupted. We already discussed that malicious extensions could be used for that, but that is unlikely to be the case every time. In fact, it is likely that malicious software plays a huge part. Needless to say, if you have dealt with the scam – especially if your Facebook account was hijacked to spread it – you need to install a legitimate malware scanner to check if your PC is clean. A reliable scanner might detect malicious tracking cookies, potentially unwanted programs, and serious infections. We recommend deleting every single malicious component discovered by this tool. Also, note that although the devious “Eliminate Facebook Message” scam is most often detected in Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands, no one is safe.

So, have you encountered a suspicious link that allegedly represents a mysterious video? If you have, have you clicked it and then been asked to download unfamiliar software or update a flash player? If you answer “yes” to both of these questions, you might have become a victim of the “Eliminate Facebook Message” scam, also known as “Facebook Video Virus” or “Facebook Messenger Virus.” In case you have interacted with the link or even downloaded unfamiliar software, the chances are that malware has been infiltrated. In most cases, adware capable of bombarding you with all kinds of ads is installed, but other kinds of malware could be placed as well. Furthermore, malicious cookies could be employed to spy on you and, possibly, record sensitive information. Due to these reasons, it is crucial that you remove cookies. Of course, you should also scan your PC to check if you need to delete malware. If you do, and you do not know how to do it manually, we suggest employing anti-malware software that will simultaneously erase existing infections and ensure full-time protection. You need it if you wish to keep malware away in the future.

How to remove cookies

Google Chrome:

1. Open the browser and tap Ctrl+Shift+Delete.
2. Select the right time range.
3. Mark all appropriate boxes.
4. Click CLEAR BROWSING DATA.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open the browser and tap Ctrl+Shift+Delete.
2. Select the right time range.
3. Mark all appropriate boxes.
4. Click Clear Now.

Safari:

1. Click the Safari icon and then select Preferences.
2. Move to the Privacy tab.
3. Click Remove All Website Data…
4. Click Remove Now.

Internet Explorer:

1. Open the browser and tap Ctrl+Shift+Delete.
2. Mark all appropriate boxes.
3. Click Delete.