CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about the latest ‘phishing’ scam that is making the rounds of Facebook this week. While there have been multiple Facebook scams that have popped up recently, this is the first scam involving a ‘DISLIKE button. The previous Facebook scams encouraged users to click on a ‘LIKE’ button to indicate they LIKED a product or service.

This new Facebook threat encourages you to click on a 'DISLIKE' button. The major red flag for this scam is that Facebook does not yet have a ‘DISLIKE’ button. The Facebook message that encourages you to get the ‘DISLIKE’ button states,  “I just got the Dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts!!!” or “Get the official DISLIKE button now.” 

The BBB encourages you not to click on ‘DISLIKE’ links. This scam will install malware or spyware on your computer to extract your personal information that can be used to steal your identity.

The BBB has this advice to help you protect your identity online:

·         Parents should teach their children about online scams and identity theft given that millions of Facebook users are young people. While young people are very computer savvy, they may not be as scam savvy as adults are.

·         Do not click on suspicious links online disguised as sensational information, even if the link comes from one of your Facebook friends. 

·         Do not give out personal information online unless you know with 100 percent certainty that the recipient is a secure, encrypted site and you know for what purpose the information will be used. Web addresses for secure sites begin with “https”, not simply “http”. Secure sites also have a padlock symbol in the lower right corner of the screen.

For more information about staying safe online and tips for preventing identity theft, please visit www.bbb.org.