[TUBELY] Why do they want to know?!

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 15:31

Someone asked me to become "a friend" (yes, it happens...) on another 100% free "community site". I reject these invitations in principle, because it's often only about email addresses harvesting. But this time the scam looks very stupid: http://is.gd/4YLaz . Why would this friendly site want to know my email password?! Be careful with these sites (pedantic, I know, but maybe it helps someone out there).

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 15:50

I actually agree with you on this one Hans but some people might not realise that they have already probably done this if they are on facebook. They also ask you for your e-mail password so they can look up your contacts to see if they are already on Facebook or invite those that aren't

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 16:05

RE msg 2, proger1: Two more potential abuses: 1) someone at the "friendly site" could log in to gmail.com and read my mail. (Whatever they may say on the "friendly site" about protecting my privacy etc.). 2) My email address could be sold to commercial users time and time again. (Whatever they may say on the "friendly site" about protecting my privacy etc.). In general: stay clear from "free, friendly sites" - there are no free lunches on the Internet. What do you think, proger1?

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
19/11/2009 16:19

You are spot on about the no free lunches. If it looks free for us to use then they have to be making money somehow to support the site. Advertising can only cover so much.

There have been a few viruses or virusi (I don't know the plurality) on one such friendly site being sent from a so called friends page but they had no idea about its origin and had not sent it.



The problem is that you have allready logged on to your (supposedly secure) page and you believe that you are just linking to your account through their services but data has to be transferred and if its transferred it can be intercepted.