This Facebook post features an image of a naked woman apparently being eaten by a shark and includes a “Play” button that supposedly opens a video showing the attack.
Clicking the “Play” button takes you to a “news video” website. The site features teaser images for a large number of “shocking” or salacious videos, including the supposed shark attack.
However, when you click on any of the teaser images, a popup message will claim that you must install a plugin before you can watch any videos.
But, alas, the plugin is a malware program that can
hijack your browser, show malicious advertisements, and interfere with security settings on your computer.
Once installed, these malicious programs can be difficult to remove.
Be wary of any “shocking video” posts that come your way on Facebook. Many are scams that try to get you to like and share bogus messages on Facebook and participate in suspect online surveys.
Others are designed to promote a particular webpage or – as in this case – trick people into downloading malware.
Example
Importance Notice
After considerable thought and with an ache in my heart, I have decided that the time has come to close down the Hoax-Slayer website.These days, the site does not generate enough revenue to cover expenses, and I do not have the financial resources to sustain it going forward.
Moreover, I now work long hours in a full-time and physically taxing job, so maintaining and managing the website and publishing new material has become difficult for me.
And finally, after 18 years of writing about scams and hoaxes, I feel that it is time for me to take my fingers off the keyboard and focus on other projects and pastimes.
When I first started Hoax-Slayer, I never dreamed that I would still be working on the project all these years later or that it would become such an important part of my life. It's been a fantastic and engaging experience and one that I will always treasure.
I hope that my work over the years has helped to make the Internet a little safer and thwarted the activities of at least a few scammers and malicious pranksters.
A Big Thank You
I would also like to thank all of those wonderful people who have supported the project by sharing information from the site, contributing examples of scams and hoaxes, offering suggestions, donating funds, or helping behind the scenes.I would especially like to thank David White for his tireless contribution to the Hoax-Slayer Facebook Page over many years. David's support has been invaluable, and I can not thank him enough.
Closing Date
Hoax-Slayer will still be around for a few weeks while I wind things down. The site will go offline on May 31, 2021. While I will not be publishing any new posts, you can still access existing material on the site until the date of closure.Thank you, one and all!
Brett Christensen,
Hoax-Slayer
