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Of course, where there's unrest, there are scammers looking to take advantage of the situation. It should be no surprise that not long after Facebook rolled out its brand new function, an assortment of fraudulent pages started to pop up promising the ability to revert to the old profile.Stop me if you've heard this oneIt's a similar scenario to the dislike button hoax that sweeps the network every few months. The hoax pages, just like many others on social networking sites, require users to click Like buttons, download files, watch videos, answer questions and inevitably invite friends.At the very least, pages like this are annoying, providing spammy wall posts and constant messages to friends or showing endless pages of advertising. At the other end of the spectrum, they can be quite nasty, forcing users to install malware or other unpleasant software compromising their computer security. As much as you may dislike the new Timeline, surely it's not worth virtually handing over your credit card details!More from TeccaNews, how-to guides and more at tecca.com to help you get the most out of your technology.How the scam worksMany of the pages offer the same promise: a plug-in for your browser that will "disable" the new Timeline functionality. The developers even add helpful hints advising users to ignore software warnings that extensions, plug-ins, and other apps "can harm your computer." The developers also suggest that you should "allow up to 24 hours for the changes to take effect," which is a cute way of covering up the fact that absolutely nothing will happen.Here to stayThe problem: Once you opt in to the new Timeline, it's permanently switched over. Within a few weeks, everybody on Facebook will be forced into the new layout (like it or not).As a company, Facebook has tried to educate its millions of users, pointing out options, updating security information, and answering privacy concerns. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's been enough, with more than 70,000 people joining anti-Timeline pages across the board.What can you do?Given the sheer number of pages and groups created every hour, Facebook does not have the time or manpower to hunt down every fraudulent entry. Instead, the company relies on you to point out things that aren't quite what they seem. On each page or group, there is an option to "report this page" shown in the left-hand menu, under Likes. By taking the time to report pages that are offensive, fraudulent, or otherwise breaching the terms and conditions of the site, you can help make Facebook a better, safer place.Another great idea is to take a look at the Facebook Security page and click the Like button. While the page hasn't been updated to include information on this latest scam, it's still a great spot to find out what's happening on the site. Live chats with staff, security hints and tips, and information about new features it's a great resource.Keep your wits about youAs we've seen over the past few years, the only thing constant about Facebook (and most other social networks) is change. Everything is constantly being tweaked, updated, and overhauled and with a customer base in the millions, the developers simply can't please all the people all the time. Sometimes, the site will make a change that you don't like, and you won't be alone in your opinion. Rather than resorting to shady pages, online petitions, and apps that don't quite look right, do a little homework and avoid spreading the hysteria.At present, Facebook has no plans to allow users to opt out of the Timeline functionality and is actively squashing any attempts as well as plug-ins and workarounds that are designed to hide the new page layout. Solutions that worked last week no longer work today, and the trend is continuing as Facebook evolves. Sorry, but it looks like we're stuck with Facebook's Timeline for now. More from Tecca:Everything you need to know about Facebook TimelinesJust show me: A tour of Facebook's new Timeline featureFacebook scam uses Mario Kart as baitPowered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed | Amazon Wordpress Plugin | Android Forum | Hud Software Read More ...
