Here's the scam (seems like it is targeted at the less internet savvy age 12-14 script kiddie wannabe demographic).
They promise what that group wants, but have no intention on actually delivering it. Instead, they present a set of options, that no matter which is chosen (to get the code) they make money. You visit a page, install software, or anything else they tell you to do, and they make money...but you will never get a code, nor will anyone's Facebook account actually be hacked.
That's the whole scam, in a nutshell.
You would not believe how many times these kids fell for it and filled out that form. And if they would fall for it back then, kids would just as easily fall for something similar today. The difference in this case would be that instead of someone using the form to alert the intended victim of that kid's intent, they are using it as a money making opportunity, presenting them with sponsored activities.
-app103
Sure.
I'm no expert, but maybe I've at least made it to "junior high" as a kiddie sniffing out trouble. : )
So I did my digging just to save some of the raw click-work for everyone else, just to get it out there, which your post cap-stones.
I was carefully evaluating options as I went along. To borrow the old joke, I was looking at :
1. Do X.
2. Do Y.
3. Do Z
4. ?????
A very similar "structural scam engine" could have gone a couple of ways. I did notice when I rebooted today a couple new things are also there on bootup, so later I'll have to go unhook them. But a stray extra toolbar didn't seem too bad to deal with. I took the guess that I wasn't going to end up with a botnet zombie node and it looks like I didn't ... I think. (Do botnet zombie comps still look like they work for the user?)
So of the several "scam templates", I was mostly interested in shedding some light on "which menu item off the list did they go for".
And at least the news is out, so we know that former good site is in trouble, and maybe if he can ever rebuild his brand, he can just re-stick the content on a new site and learn his lesson and not sell it this time, or give it to someone else.
-TaoPhoenix
We have 2 different scummy entities here. "Scummy Webmaster" and "Scummy Developer".
Scummy Webmaster, more than likely, they didn't create the software or the installer you installed on your computer. They most likely got paid for the referral when you installed it. This is really slimy affiliate ads/referrals to less than stellar 3rd parties that promise payment for every referral...aka Scummy Developer.
Scummy Webmaster buys a site with decent traffic (FreewareBB) for the purpose of using it to make posts that directs traffic to their scammy sites, like hackfacebookpass, where they do the referring to a 3rd party (Scummy Developer), promising you something they have no intention on delivering (the code). You click an option, any option, and Scummy Webmaster gets paid. End of story with them.
Anything extra you end up with on your computer from installing anything, is the fault of the Scummy Developer that is paying them to send them the referrals.
I don't need to do any click work, no looking into who owns what domain name, what web hosting company they use, etc. looking for anything. I know how they think. I have dealt with their kind before, on a personal level. They want the easy money, which comes from gullible script kiddie wannabes actually believing if they click an offer they will get that code that was promised. They probably have another site that promises a free iPad...and another that promises free WoW gold...etc., etc., etc., which they plan on making posts linking to them, on FreewareBB, in the months to come.
