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View Full Version : My daughter saw a banner ad with my photo in it

KerryS
03-20-2009, 11:17 AM
She was on the computer, visiting some site, and there was a banner ad at the top that said something like "Kerry, someone thinks you can't beat their IQ score of 117 - click here to find out!" and there was a photo of me in the ad. It was my avatar here (not this one, but the one I use when I'm in the ask the LC forum).

I'm assuming that some bot took my avatar photo from this site. But could it also suggest that I have some sort of virus or worm?

When she's on her laptop, she has seen the same ad, but generic, without my name and without my photo.
Coconuts71
03-20-2009, 11:23 AM
I've heard of that happening from facebook.
KerryS
03-20-2009, 11:25 AM
Oh! I think you're right! I had forgotten that I use that photo as my facebook av, too.
Indigo
03-20-2009, 11:29 AM
That's creepy, they used your last name?
KerryS
03-20-2009, 11:30 AM
No, my first name.
melissab
03-20-2009, 11:32 AM
I get that all the time on FB. I've gotten a couple that tell me my friends in a neighboring town called me an idiot.
HammBugga
03-20-2009, 11:36 AM
Yeah it's a cookie or something from FB.
still_me
03-20-2009, 11:45 AM
FB owns any picture or information you put into their site. Technically they can use that for anything shown on their site.
KerryS
03-20-2009, 11:47 AM
To be clear, the ad wasn't on Facebook or while visiting Facebook. It was on some random kids' site that my daughter was visiting. I just asked her and she said the site was called "Games for Girls." ETA: the site she was on was www.girlgames1.com - I just checked it out and saw the ad myself. And it said "A friend thinks you're TOO DUMB to beat their score of 117!!" or something to that effect.
still_me
03-20-2009, 11:50 AM
To be clear, the ad wasn't on Facebook or while visiting Facebook. It was on some random kids' site that my daughter was visiting. I just asked her and she said the site was called "Games for Girls."


That is weird. This is what we use to scan our computer. It is a free download. It is the only thing that pulled a trojan up that completely froze our computer.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
Coconuts71
03-20-2009, 12:14 PM
I think that the cookie only shows you your own picture. I think it woudl show me, my picture, Kerry, hers, etc. I don't think I would see Kerry on mine.
HammBugga
03-20-2009, 05:49 PM
I think that the cookie only shows you your own picture. I think it woudl show me, my picture, Kerry, hers, etc. I don't think I would see Kerry on mine.


Right.
Camille
03-20-2009, 05:59 PM
I think coconuts is right. And it likely originates from FB.
JudyJudyJudy
03-20-2009, 06:01 PM
This makes me glad I don't use Facebook.