Christmas Chain Mail: Viral Facebook Messenger Message Urges Sharing With ’15 Girls’ In ‘9 Minutes’
Remember when Jayden K. Smith, the nefarious Facebook friend request sender and mythical Facebook Messenger hacker, put Facebook users in a panic back in July? Well, he has been replaced by a cute Christmas message. If you are a Facebook user and receive inbox messages through Facebook Messenger, you more than likely have received a viral Christmas message in your inbox wishing you a “Merry Christmas!” As Christmas approaches in 2017, expect to receive more of that particular message, as seen below, which includes a blinking and colorful Christmas tree that contains presents in front of the tree on the floor. Beyond the Christmas wishes, the Facebook message also comes with a prayer that asks God to help the woman who has received the message “live life to the fullest and bless her in all she does.” The well-intended message seems like a fine way to wish others a wonderful holiday time by praying for them.
However, the Christmas message doesn’t end there. Instead, it warns the recipient that they are “on the clock.” It urges people to send the twinkling video forward to others via Facebook Messenger by holding their fingers on the message and forwarding it to at least “15 girls you love.” Although the message tells others that it is “only for ladies,” men are joking via Facebook Messenger about receiving the message as well.
https://www.facebook.com/hannah.cross.7524/videos/142391266414381/
The Facebook Messenger message goes on to say that if the sender doesn’t receive the message back then they are “obviously not a close friend” since it’s not that hard to send the message on to 15 other women who use Facebook Messenger. Whereas some folks appreciate the thought that someone would think enough about them to wish them well in such a manner, others have different feedback on Facebook.
With Facebook Messenger now used by 1.3 billion folks around the world, according to Digital Trends, it represents one way that folks may inadvertently forward malicious phishing schemes via such chain mail messages. As a result, another message is going viral in the wake of the Christmas message finding new life on Facebook Messenger this year. That message can be read below.
“Please, don’t take it personally, but I really would appreciate it if my FB family & friends wouldn’t send me anymore chain messages through Messenger. I know you mean well, but I won’t be forwarding them to others or back to the sender because it has been found that many of them carry Trojan horse malware which can result in rapid widespread viruses for phone, tablets, laptop, etc. They can also be part of a Multi-Level-Marketing (MLM) scheme, and can spread phishing links. Thanking you in advance for your understanding. Feel free to COPY & PASTE this message to your own Facebook page. So please, just personal messages only. Thank you. Much love.”
Why I won’t let my children near Facebook’s Messenger for kids https://t.co/zuwR99vVbF pic.twitter.com/LvG799rgiF
— Sageleaf (@n2itvnspiritual) December 13, 2017
