How to Prevent and Remove the Facebook Poker Virus

How to Prevent and Remove the Facebook Poker Virus
Page content

What is the Facebook Poker Virus?

According to the online game and poker site, Zynga, some Facebook users are receiving emails, that appear to be from Facebook, telling the user that their password has been reset. Once the email is opened, the virus infects computers, slows browser speeds and re-directs you to multiple pop-ups and websites you never wanted to visit in the first place. Zynga has posted warnings to users of their games that if you have received an email saying “Facebook Password Reset,” you should not open it and contact customer support.

Facebook has also responded with a warning on the poker virus through a post on their security web page warning users that Facebook never automatically resets passwords.

In addition to this poker virus, Facebook users who are fond of the site’s Texas Hold’em poker game are losing chips through phishing scams and hackers. It may be hard to regain your Facebook Texas Hold’em chips once they’re gone.

If you find your computer infected from the Zynga/Facebook poker virus, how can you stop the hackers or remove the virus?

Image Credit: Texas Holdem / Wikimedia Commons

Stopping the Poker Chip Hackers

While social gamer Johnny Renquist says that if you contact Facebook, you may be able to get your stolen chips back, he suggests a better way is to prevent these hackers from obtaining them in the first place. Here are some tips on how to keep your Facebook poker chips safe:

  • Email Addresses – Never give out email addresses on any social networking site, including Facebook. If you’re email is there for hackers to obtain, they will. Once they have it, they appear to have a way to hack into your Facebook account and steal your chips.
  • Award Scams – Some hackers are sending out emails claiming that you’ve won Facebook Texas Holdem chips and all you have to do is click on the link in the email and provide some personal info. The info they want is indeed your Facebook account information and once they’ve got it, your chips are gone.
  • Cheats – Just browsing the Web for Facebook poker and you’ll find many cheat downloads that say you can not only cheat to win, but get more chips. What these cheats really do is hack their way into your Facebook account and steal your chips.

Removing the Facebook Poker Virus

If you did receive an email that appears to be from Zynga saying “Facebook Password Reset” in the subject line, don’t open it. If it’s too late, here are some tips on removing the Facebook poker virus:

  • Anti-Virus Scan – If you have an antivirus program on your computer like those from Symantec or McAfee, run a scan to help quarantine and remove the Facebook poker virus.
  • Malwarebytes – You can download a free antivirus removal tool from Malwarebytes that will rid your computer of the virus.
  • Superantispyware – This is another free antiviral tool that will erase and remove the Facebook Poker virus.

With phishers, hacking and scams abundant these days, especially on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, it’s best to visit the websites’ security pages for updates and developments on any hackers or viruses, such as the Koobface virus. Both Facebook and MySpace do post warnings and have support if you’re infected with any virus, including the Facebook poker virus, or if you have had Texas Hold’em chips stolen through an account breach.