In an attempt to exploit social media, particularly Facebook with hoax stories, viral news claiming the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight has been found in Bermuda Triangle spreads online. Due to people’s growing interest in the story, hackers use Facebook posts to link on fake surveys.
The Facebook posts look legitimate containing video and claim the plane has been found in various places, from the Bermuda Triangle to having been spotted at sea, with many stating its passengers are “alive” or “saved”.
Similar fake stories were also posted on social media, here are the samples:
"Plane has been spotted somewhere near Bermuda triangle. Shocking videos released today. CNN news"
"Malaysian Airplane MH370 Already Found. Shocking Video Release Today by CNN"
"Shocking Video: Malaysian Airlines missing flight MH370 found at sea"
"MH370 Malaysia plane has been found. Shocking videos released today. Last video of passengers crying released"
To catch attention of readers, those posts are tagged with phrases like "Shocking Video", "Breaking" and "People found alive" and even the worldwide news organization CNN is being used.
A report on malwarebytes.org written by Christopher Boyd says that those fake flight MH370 videos being shared on Twitter and Facebook are tactics of scammers who are looking to make some money off the back of the disappearance of Flight MH370.
"Not all of the video links being posted to social networks are sensationalist in nature – along the “shocking video” nonsense there’s quite a few others which instead offer false hope to anybody waiting for the first “survivors found” news to be posted somewhere legitimate.", Boyd said.
Boyd reminded social media users: "Anything asking you to share content or like something before watching a “shocking video”, or asking you to complete surveys, is likely going to end up being a scam. There are more than enough genuine news sources out there to be able to confirm or debunk a supposedly breaking story with a few minutes clicking."
Similar techniques had been employed by scammers as tsunami strucked in Japan in March 2011 and the earthquake in the Central Visayas, Philippines in October 2013.
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| Fake Story on Facebook claiming the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight has been found in Bermuda Triangle |
The Facebook posts look legitimate containing video and claim the plane has been found in various places, from the Bermuda Triangle to having been spotted at sea, with many stating its passengers are “alive” or “saved”.
Similar fake stories were also posted on social media, here are the samples:
"Plane has been spotted somewhere near Bermuda triangle. Shocking videos released today. CNN news"
"Malaysian Airplane MH370 Already Found. Shocking Video Release Today by CNN"
"Shocking Video: Malaysian Airlines missing flight MH370 found at sea"
"MH370 Malaysia plane has been found. Shocking videos released today. Last video of passengers crying released"
To catch attention of readers, those posts are tagged with phrases like "Shocking Video", "Breaking" and "People found alive" and even the worldwide news organization CNN is being used.
A report on malwarebytes.org written by Christopher Boyd says that those fake flight MH370 videos being shared on Twitter and Facebook are tactics of scammers who are looking to make some money off the back of the disappearance of Flight MH370.
"Not all of the video links being posted to social networks are sensationalist in nature – along the “shocking video” nonsense there’s quite a few others which instead offer false hope to anybody waiting for the first “survivors found” news to be posted somewhere legitimate.", Boyd said.
Boyd reminded social media users: "Anything asking you to share content or like something before watching a “shocking video”, or asking you to complete surveys, is likely going to end up being a scam. There are more than enough genuine news sources out there to be able to confirm or debunk a supposedly breaking story with a few minutes clicking."
Similar techniques had been employed by scammers as tsunami strucked in Japan in March 2011 and the earthquake in the Central Visayas, Philippines in October 2013.
