Watch Out For The Facebook "Christmas Bonus" Scam
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The latest Facebook scam making its way 'round the site is about sham Christmas bonuses.
Users have reported receiving inbox messages from friends on their contact list about winning a Christmas bonus from Facebook.
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), a nonprofit that provides free assistance to victims of fraud, identity theft and scams, the messages are actually cloned accounts of friends.
The impostors gush about winning thousands of dollars in a contest sponsored by Powerball, and then ask targets for their personal information so they can deliver the "winnings." Some might even ask for a "small" transfer fee.
"Needless to say, once the money or personal information has been given, the scammers disappear and do not award the 'bonus,'" according to ITRC.
The hackers are after your personal information, especially from your bank account.
If you ever get a message saying you've won something, the ITRC says chances are, it's too good to be true- especially if you haven't entered any contests.
Even if the message is seemingly from one of your friends, don't trust it.
Scammers use cloned profiles of people you know in order to gain trust, so even if it seems like the real deal, it's best to err on the side of skeptical.
ITRC advises users to delete the message, report the cloned account to Facebook admins and then inform your friend they've been hacked.
But, if you've already provided your personal information, you can call the Identity Theft Resource Center at 888-400-5530 for assistance.