Messages appear as status updates and many read:

 

"Just testing Facebook for iPhone out :P Received my free iPhone today, so happy lol... If anyone else wants one go here: <LINK>"

 

Or:

 

"Anyone want my old phone?  Claimed my free iPhone today, so happy lol... If anyone else wants one go here: <LINK>"

 

Facebook users who click on the link advertised by their friends are then asked if they want to ‘Allow’ this application to access their basic information.  Participants who allow this are then redirected to a webpage which will earn commission for the spammers behind the scam.

 

"Users shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for a new iPhone but need to learn to think before they "like" and "share" suspicious pages on Facebook. Just because something appears on a friend's wall doesn't mean that it is from a reliable source. By giving unknown applications access to your Facebook page, you could unknowingly continue to help to spread scams and earn cash for the spammers," says Brett Myroff, CEO of regional Sophos distributor, Sophos South Africa.

 

Users should delete references to the free iPhone scam from their wall, and remove the offending application from Account/Application Settings.