419ers target Facebook

419 spammers are legendary on the Internet, and are usually based from Nigeria or countries around them where they ask for monies to release more monies (apologies to George Agdgdgwngo from Fonejacker there) from unsuspecting victims.

Now they're showing up on Facebook, with hackers taking control of users' accounts to ask their friends for cash by claiming that they're in dire straits:

The latest scam came to light after Karina Wells received a Facebook message from one of her friends saying he was stranded in Lagos, Nigeria, and needed $500 for a ticket home.

Unlike some Nigerian fraud emails it was written in good English, but Mrs Wells's suspicions were aroused by a few incongruous phrases, such as "cell phone" instead of "mobile phone".

Suspecting foul play she went along with the plan, obtained the fraudster's Western Union details and passed on the information on to Facebook.

Facebook have stated that only a small number of users have received such messages, and that they're updating their security systems.