Facebook Paranoia

[LeMarchand]

So last night I get an email inviting me to see some woman's photos on Facebook and was about to bin it when curiosity got the better of me.

 

The links seemed to go to FB, but what worried me was that the bottom of the page had "other people you might like to visit on FB" - all of whom I knew.

 

As I'm not on FB, how the hell do they get this info? I can't imagine that all those folk mention me on their pages.

 

If the mail is genuine, has it scanned my address book - or is it a fake that has done much the same thing?

 

Oh - a bit of Googling suggests that the woman may be a cousin .

 

Should I start scanning for malware, or am I just ?

[webman]

What I'm guessing happens is this:

 

1. Your friends take up the opportunity of giving Facebook access to their contact/address books of services like Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! mail, so that they can "find friends."
   
2. Several of your friends have you as a contact.
   
3. The link you clicked probably has a unique identifier in it that is linked to your email address.
   
4. This is then matched with the data in points 1 & 2.
   

[localzuk]

So last night I get an email inviting me to see some woman's photos on Facebook and was about to bin it when curiosity got the better of me.

 

The links seemed to go to FB, but what worried me was that the bottom of the page had "other people you might like to visit on FB" - all of whom I knew.

 

As I'm not on FB, how the hell do they get this info? I can't imagine that all those folk mention me on their pages.

 

If the mail is genuine, has it scanned my address book - or is it a fake that has done much the same thing?

 

Oh - a bit of Googling suggests that the woman may be a cousin .

 

Should I start scanning for malware, or am I just ?

 

When you allow apps access to your facebook profile, they get access to your list of friends IIRC, so then, when you go to a page, they can cleverly show pics of you or your friends etc...

[tommccann]

On facebook there is an option to add an email adress friend search, it scans your address list then invites people who are not online, and shows you friends that are registered. So calm down dear! (Michael Winner = Legend)

[LeMarchand]

Thanks all!

 

Fecking Facebook! I shall have words with Mme LeMarchand's girls!

[MattMitchell]

It's a lot more benign than that!

 

When you create a photo album on Facebook, there's an option to send a link by email to people who aren't on the site, so that they can see the pictures without having to log in. End of panic. Honestly!