Facebook hack targets New Zealanders and changes passwords, users warned

A Facebook hack targeting New Zealand users has the ability to change their passwords.
Facebook messaging services are being compromised to send a message to Facebook friends, claiming the account holder is in a YouTube video.

The message reads: "It's you [account holder's name]!", or "Is this yours?" and could be mistaken for a harmless message.
If clicked, the link asks for a password login, and then forwards the message to more people.

Some Facebook users have said the hack changed their passwords.
Users have taken to the website to express their concerns, saying they're concerned not everyone would be wary of a seemingly harmless link from a Facebook friend.

However, many had succumbed to the link, and the hack has spread like wildfire.
Some said they had received messages from about 10 different people, with the link.
Christchurch resident Clare Whitworth said her 13-year-old daughter's phone was hacked.


Her daughter opened a message with a video link that never played anything, Whitworth said. However, it redirected her to a page that asked her to sign in and use her passwords to verify it was her.

"Because she is young, she did that not knowing it was a scam.

"Then it sent the same message to all of her friends that said 'Is this yours?' [and] their name, and had the same video link," Whitworth said. "It had changed her password to something else, so we had to reset her Facebook [and] Messenger password and messaged everyone to not open the link."

On Saturday, Newstalk ZB presenter Chris Lynch posted on Facebook to say the scam was targeting New Zealand users.

Lynch said the link led the user to malware that enabled hackers to access Facebook accounts.

Users should change their passwords if in doubt, he said.

Facebook has been approached for comment.