new! macy's gift card scam on MY SPACE!!

If you spend any time on the social-networking-site-cum-Internet portal MySpace, then you've definitely seen the scam. It's an offer for a $500 gift card to Macy's. Sometimes it takes the form of a private message, and other times it's a comment on your page. The link can be text or an image, often a picture of a half-naked woman.

Clicking on the link takes the user to a phony MySpace page, where he or she is asked to enter personal information to claim the gift. The information is forwarded to a fraudster, who uses it in credit card fraud and identity theft schemes.

In addition to destroying a person's credit, the scam also grants access to the victim's MySpace account. From here the cycle continues as a new pool of friends is available to send the misleading message to.

It's a classic 'phishing' scam and many MySpace members have already been victims, according the the Daily Mail.

Macy's and news outlets are just now taking note of the scam, despite it having circulated for almost a year. Macy's has posted a message on its Web site warning users to be wary of offers for free gift cards, and that it would never ask for personal information.