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SCAM ALERT: Facebook not about to start charging users, you should not be sharing that they are

KRMG SCAM ALERT: If you're on Facebook a lot, you'll recognize this: A message from a friend warning that Facebook soon will no longer be free, unless you act now.

Even Rick Brinkley with Tulsa's Better Business Bureau gets them from his friends.

"When I look at it, I know that they've clicked on something that has installed a virus that is now sending that to all of their friends."

Now, there's a new twist on this scam that's as old as Facebook.

"What is happening now," says the BBB's Brinkley, "is they're coming back with a second wave of  'join this organization, click here to sign-up to portest that you're not going to pay for Facebook and at that point it begins downloading viruses onto your computer."

He adds, that potentially is lifting private information off your computer.

If you get one of these messages, the B-B-B says tell your friend and refer them to Facebook's common myths page.

If you believe the message is spam, report it to Facebook.

Here's the scam alert from the BBB:

How the Scam Works:

You spot a friend's post in your newsfeed saying that Facebook will start charging users a monthly fee. The latest version claims a new pricing structure will have different membership tiers, including a "gold" level for $9.99 per month.

However, the post says, you can avoid any fees by just sharing the message. Post it on your wall, and your "icon will turn blue." This color change will exempt you from the new charges. Of course, that won't happen, and neither will these new fees.

The posts above are really more of an annoying hoax than an actual scam. The scam comes in when users, infuriated by the rumors, visit and/or join Facebook "protest" groups. These pages have been known to contain viruses. Be extra careful of any links, Facebook applications or requests to download files/software on such pages.

I've Found a Fake Facebook Post. What Should I Do?    

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