In this morning news segment, host John introduces a cautionary story about Facebook account hijacking. Victim Brian Rutberg recounts how a hacker gained control of his profile, changed the associated email, and posted a desperate message claiming he was robbed in London. A friend, Benny Rubenstein, was tricked into wiring $1,200. Reporter Jason Carroll and security experts explain that the scam exploits the trust inherent in social networks, using phishing and account takeover to solicit money. They advise users to keep antivirus software up‑to‑date, tighten privacy settings, avoid sharing personal details, and verify any money‑request by phone. Facebook is said to be improving notification of account changes, enhancing detection systems, and coordinating with money‑transfer services and law enforcement. Rutberg stresses the need for better user education and easier recovery channels. The segment closes with a reminder to be skeptical of online money requests and to secure one’s Facebook settings.
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Scam artist on Facebook.
My Facebook status had changed.
How a hacker could break into a social networking site and pose as you. See what the security experts are saying. You're watching The Most News in the Morning. Welcome back to The Most News in the Morning. Facebook's supposed to be a place to catch up with friends online, right? Well, now internet criminals are trying to use people's accounts and their friends to cash in. Jason Carroll is here now with a cautionary tale for you this morning. Good morning to you.
Good morning to you. Yeah, Facebook is really looking out for these types of things, John. You know, it's an old con. You get a letter or an email saying a friend of yours is in trouble and needs a little bit of money. It's an old con, but what's new here is how scammers are finding their victims on Facebook.
Facebook has become a popular way to reach out and touch someone in cyber world.
I've reconnected with old friends from high school days, college days, grad school days, people I used to work with.
Brian Rutberg expected to find old friends. What he didn't expect was for a cybercriminal to find him. What happened to Rutberg started about 2 weeks ago when his family noticed something frightening.
When my daughter was alarmed that my Facebook status had changed and I hadn't changed it.
A new message on Rutberg's page read, "Brian is in urgent need of help." Of course he wasn't. He was safe at home in Seattle.
Somehow they had taken over access to the page. I had been locked out. Someone had changed the email address associated with the account.
A hacker posing as Rutberg sent messages to friends claiming he was robbed at gunpoint in London and needed money to get home. He even left a message with Rutberg's Facebook friend Benny Rubenstein. Listen to the recording.
He's currently in London. He's in trouble. He was robbed.
Rubenstein wired $1,200 to London.
It's not only just the financial thing.
It's also an invasion of all your whole privacy and who your friends are.
People have really have forgot, you know, basic safety. Like when mom said, "Don't talk to strangers." That was good advice.
Security experts say there are two ways to better protect yourself.
Having antivirus programs and making sure they're up to date. The second thing you can do is everyone can kind of push some of these companies to do a little bit better job in protecting privacy.
With the help of Facebook, it took about a day for Rutberg to regain access to his account.
Every user of the web should be better educated, and I think Facebook has a role to play there, as do any of the social networking sites, letting users know that if their site is hacked, how to respond, and giving them an easy way to get in touch with the companies.
Facebook says though this scam affects a small number of users, they're instituting changes that will better notify users when their account is modified.
And some more details on what Facebook is doing about all this. They will be adjusting their security system to better detect these types of hackers. They're also reaching out to money wiring companies like Western Union to alert them to this type of fraud. And they say they're planning to involve law enforcement. They did, but they didn't give any specifics in terms of how law enforcement would exactly be involved, but One of the other things that, you know, people can do if you're on Facebook or— you know, don't put your date of birth on there. Be careful about putting your address on there. And something else, the old-fashioned thing, you know, pick up the phone. If, you know, if you see, you know, something strange on one of your friends' Facebook pages, pick up the phone and call the person, you know?
Exactly, yeah. You know, anytime anybody's ever asking for money online, be suspicious. And make sure, too, when you're on Facebook that you've got your security preferences set in such a way that nobody—
Absolutely.
—just not every, you know, Tom, Dick, and Harry can get onto your web page. All right, yeah. Thanks, Jason.
