The two apps were signaled less than one week from each other by Sophos, who warned that the apps were trying to steal personal information from users.

 

The first app, known as Error Check System left users with a message saying their friends had problems viewing their profile. The app redirected users to malicious websites, and is believed to have been used to steal personal information.

 

The second app, called Facebook – closing down!!! showed users the following text: [Friend’s name] has just reported you to Facebook for violating our Terms of Service. – This is your official warning! – Click here to find out why you were reported! Request Facebook look at what has happened and rule immediately.

 

The message was of course a bogus notification, and if the spell errors passed unnoticed by some, those users allowed the third party app to access their profile and personal information, in addition to forwarding the same message to all the friends in the user’s list, Sophos said.

 

The application has been removed apparently, but there are still apps out there that are considered suspicious, and users have been warned to be cautious upon using third party apps on Facebook. A social networking site representative said they have removed the harmful apps and they continue to monitor the site for others as well.