The Dark Side of MySpace

Posted on May 30, 2008
Filed Under Scams, Frauds, Exploits & Vulnerabilities, Tips & Tricks

It’s also worth pointing out that there is a dark side to MySpace, and it’s not something that affects just MySpace: It’s something that affects all social networking sites. Bad people are just as good at using computers as good people. In fact, the anonymity of the Internet is an attraction for all kinds of deviants and practical jokers, who use forums such as MySpace to deceive people for their own amusement or for personal gain.

Any woman who places an even slightly revealing or provocative picture of herself on MySpace will be inundated with comments from men of all ages, many of whom are not shy about expressing the kind of relationship they are looking for. So yes, there is a sleazy side to social networking sites.

You can never be absolutely sure about a stranger you meet on MySpace. It’s not uncommon, for example, for married men to pretend they are single so that they can play the field. It’s also not uncommon for men to pretend that they are pretty young women just to get kicks when other men start propositioning them.The giveaway is usually that the profile features pictures of an impossibly beautiful woman, with lots of suggestive innuendo in the profile itself. These types of profiles are also sometimes fronts for adult web sites — so don’t get too excited if a beautiful woman (if you happen to be male) wants to be your “friend.”More often than not she is not what she appears to be. Sometimes, deviants are more clever and less obvious, so in all cases it’s best to be cautious.

Increasingly,MySpace profiles are being used to sell questionable products and multi-level marketing scams — don’t be surprised if you get a friend request from someone who claims he can make you rich through lotto or who wants to give you a free iPod. As in real life, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is too good to be true.

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