Facebook can be a great website to visit. Let’s face it, almost everyone uses it to connect with friends and family, share pictures, videos and even play social games, but with all of the good things come the bad - like malicious links that are designed to infect your computer with malware and intrusive viruses.

That’s why it’s important to be able to recognize Facebook ploys that are geared to trick you into clicking on malicious codes that could put your personal info at risk.

Here is a list of four things you should NEVER click on at Facebook:

1. Free Things - If you get a message that has a limited time offer to get a free iPad, iPod, headphones or gift cards, resist the urge to click on it in hopes that you’ll win. You’re more likely to catch a nasty virus than get a free gift. As Oscar of Arrested Development once said, “Oh stupid Oscar, when are you going to learn that there’s no such thing as free shrimp?”
2. Celebrity Or “Breaking” News - Since Facebook is a popular destination to discuss current news and events, a popular tactic used to fool people into clicking on malicious links is by grabbing you with a headline like celebrity news, exclusive photos or other timely and trendy newslines. An example of this type of scam surfaced shortly after Steve Jobs death in 2011, where spammers claimed Apple was giving away 1,000 iPads to pay tribute to the founder. This scam actually incorporated #1 and #2 to get an extra bang for their buck!
3. Something That “You Have To See” - Whether there’s a promise of bikini clad babes, a desperate plea to help an abused child, or a “click here to see what see what happens next” again, you should refrain from clicking  and save yourself a lot of time (and computer problems) by just moving on to the next status update in your timeline. The truth is, “what happens next” isn’t something you want to see.
4. “Must have” Facebook apps - It’s no secret that almost everyone wants to use the greatest, funnest and coolest apps, but sometimes these applications can contain untrusted code that could exploit security holes in your computer network. Apps can be fun, but they shouldn’t be that fun.

Being active at social networking websites like Facebook can be a fulfilling way to catch up with people, get status updates from your loved ones and share pictures, you should also be aware of the threats that are circulating in this growing eco-sphere of people and be cautious about the links you choose to click on at all times.

If you’re a business with multiple employees that access social media at work, these types of threats could put your business computer security at risk by exposing critical data. A solid web security solution filters these types of threats from being accessed by your employees at any time of the day, keeping your network safe from intrusion.

Source: Commtouch Internet Security