Gamers warned vs GTA Facebook 'multiplayer tool'

Gamers addicted to the "Grand Theft Auto" franchise may want to steer clear of a supposed mod that claims to give the game a multiplayer mode on Facebook.

 

Security vendor GFI Labs said the supposed Facebook mod for "GTA San Andreas," which was launched in 2005, only zooms off with the player's personal data.

 

"Popular gaming franchises remain a hot target for scammers, and Facebook users should be cautious when given the chance to install applications related to their favorite titles. Take this opportunity to visit your Application Controls page and ensure nothing is waiting in the wings to perform a drive-by, 187 style, on your personal information," GFI said in a blog post.

 

It pointed out since the core GTA: SA game did not ship with multiplayer functionality, a mod was created that allowed gamers to take part in multiplayer action - but only so long as they were running the original version of the game.

 

Even the more recent, digital download version of the game available on Direct2Drive and Steam are not compatible with the mod, it said.

 

On the other hand, it noted that if a new official GTA San Andreas multiplayer app came onto Facebook, it should have been mentioned on the official GTA SA page.

 

Yet, it said the last update there was 2010, "and it’s highly unlikely that Rockstar are going to release such a thing anytime soon."

 

Fake app

 

GFI said the supposed Facebook mod is just a looped .swf animation that recycles gamers talking in an online session, complete with the ambient noise of the city in the background.

 

But it noted clicking the Start button will bring up the standard app install prompt if logged into Facebook: "This app will receive your basic info and your email address.”

 

It said the end-user will also be asked if they want to invite their friends to “play.”

 

"Of course, it doesn’t matter how many of these you send out – you will never, ever get to play GTA San Andreas multiplayer by installing the app above or any of the others still floating around. The game itself is roughly 5gb in size, and there’s no way someone is going to crunch that down into a comparatively tiny Facebook app with multiplayer thrown in for good measure," it said.

 

It also pointed out the “Official” Facebook page for the GTA Multiplayer mod is posting notices that the supposed Facebook app is nothing to do with the mod whatsoever.

 

Meanwhile, GFI said a blog promoting the game contains a link to a URL that seems to be related to a “Facebook auto-liker” posted to a number of forums recently.

 

But for now, it said the site linked in the GTA spamblog code is already offline.

 

GFI recalled that recently, a scam disguised as a phony GTA Android game would send out expensive SMS messages. — TJD, GMA News