It is widely anticipated that Apple will announce a new version of its iPad tablet computer in San Francisco on March 7th.
An invitation sent to journalists, inviting them to an event organised by Apple, has fueled speculation even further as it appears to show a close-up of someone using an iPad.
Could it be the new iPad with a much lusted for improved display and souped-up processor? Only time will tell..
Of course, one group that isn't bothering to wait are the spammers and scammers who frequently tempt the unwary into clicking on their links, or completing their revenue-generating surveys, by offering the latest Apple gear.. for free.
And even though the iPad 3 doesn't exist yet (and who can forget the iPhone 5 scams that all looked a bit silly once Apple actually announced the iPhone 4S instead?) we are seeing plenty of examples of Facebook pages and tweets that appear to be attempting to trick users into thinking they can get one for free.
As Apple hasn't even announced the existence of an iPad 3, these posts and pages (some of which have existed for months) are clearly up to no good. It would be great to see social networks like Facebook and Twitter do more to clean up such clearly dubious activity, to better protect their userbase.
Chances are that we will see Apple announce an iPad 3 very soon. But don't be duped into believing there's an easy way to get one for free.
By the way, if you're a Facebook user and want to keep up on the latest threats and security news I would recommend you join the Sophos Facebook page - where more than 160,000 people regularly discuss the latest attacks.
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Sorry for being blunt but the internet has been around for a while and those browsing around within should have some degree of competence which includes a foreknowledge of the possibility of scammers and such. The postings like the one above which inform us not to "be duped into believing" everything we hear/read/see are rhetorical in nature. If someone has every replied, "WOW! thanks for the warning! I almost fell for that!" then I am mispeaking and my post can be disregarded. Otherwise, this type of post may be likened to those begrudging chain messages we get from our naive elders who blast one out to everyone in their address book informing how we can recv a cash reward from Microsoft and AOL by forwarding an e-mail message. Maybe I did something wrong but I never received any monies from Gates and am disgruntled. My point being is that irregardless of warnings about there no free iPad, a fool and their money/identity are soon parted. If your personal inspiration for these warnings is likened to throwing that one starfish back into the ocean, that if you can help save one person from being duped, then go for it. But from a business sense, I think you are wasting both your own and your audiences' time with these posts. again sorry for the interpreted harshness. just trying to be helpful as you are.
I am just finding it so amusing that scammers are picking on Apple more than any other company so that they claim Apple is giving away free everything I ignore these scams...THEY ARE POINTLESS
Seems a daily drudge with Facebook and Twitter users. Associates many users with a logic disability. Are these clueless users existing in a prudent -proof bubble along with the site owners?
Just out of curiosity I searched for "free IPAD" and read the "terms of service", without of course going any further. It is interesting to note the "terms of service" as they call it, that you must agree to, can be altered, or changed, "at any time, without any notification". Gotta love that! Needless to say...I didn't accept their "terms of service".
I have posted a step-by-step example from today, with a link to the full whois for all associated domains and IP addresses
http://usp.net/fbfraud-27apr12/facebook-fraud-27a...
USP+++