If you use the popular Facebook social media site you may notice on occasion that your friends’ walls have images that show they’ve been tagged in the image.

However upon closer inspection you’ll find that the friend isn’t even in the picture. What gives?

This is Facebook wall Spam.

The gimmick goes like this:

1. Spammer finds a Facebook user with a lot of friends
2. Spammer friends that Facebook user
3. Spammer posts an image – and tags their new Facebook friend – while also inserting links to spammy sites they’re promoting

Once the image is posted – with the new friend tagged – all the many friends of the unsuspecting person will now see the image (because their friend was tagged in it) as well as the spammy link.

How to fight back?

ZDNET have published a detailed step by step procedure to tighten up your Facebook account. Essentially what you do is require anyone tagging you in a photo to receive your approval before it goes live on your Facebook wall. This removes the ability for anyone to tag and share on your wall to your friends – without you first approving it.

 

Here’s the full post with step-by-step details on tightening Facebook security  – How to keep Facebook spammers from hijacking your wall