Beware of the Unfriend Alert app for Facebook which promises to tell you when someone decides to cut you off via the social network. It may be able to steal data such as user information and passwords. Although it poses as a ‘social media monitoring software’, the application is apparently adware. It works by showing you advertisements which do not originate from the websites you happen to be browsing.
Security blog Malwarebytes claims that it could mostly be after people’s Facebook credentials. At first, it might seem like installing the app is all users need to do in order for it to perform its duty as promised. But the software is unable to see who pressed the unfriend button on you, unless you provide your username and password.
Those who’ve installed the application should definitely be worried and change their passwords. This is because, the credentials submitted to Unfriend Alert were found to make their way towards a site called Yougotunfriended before reaching Facebook. The rerouting of user data was uncovered via a log obtained through open source packet analyzer software Wireshark.
Also see: How to block Candy Crush requests from those annoying Facebook friends
What’s more, Unfriend Alert does not get listed in the Apps section of your Facebook account. So it’s not impossible to imagine that someone could be keeping tabs on your social media activities or even using your online identity illegally. This post on Malwarebytes strongly advocates setting a new password after making sure you’ve chosen to log out of other devices.
Assuming you need to keep tabs on those who wish to stay away from you on Facebook so that you can think of creative ways to snub them in return, there are less shady alternatives to the aforementioned app. Maybe you should give Unfriend Checker a spin.