LONDON – Facebook users are being bombarded with fake virus alerts designed to encourage social networkers to download fake antivirus software, says PandaLabs.

Fake antivirus, which is also known as scareware, encourages web users to part with their hard-earned cash and download hoax security software.

Panda said alerts are now being distributed through Facebook’s messaging service and being forwarded on to friends or being published to users’ ‘walls’.

Web users searching for ‘un named app’ are being presented with malicious links

The message tells social networkers they can speed up Facebook by deleting an app called ‘un named app’ from the applications added to their profile.

The security vendor says that while no malicious link is included on the massage, web users searching for more information about the app could find themselves navigating through to malicious websites designed to encourage the fake antivirus software to be downloaded.

Panda advised social networkers not to forward on the message to their friends to prevent “the propagation of this fake virus warning”.