Facebook brought down by a hacker? No evidence to support the bm_tnoo7@hotmail.com alert

Written by CQ Extra Staff

Friday, 21 September 2007

A CQ Extra investigation has failed to uncover any evidence to support claims of a purported Facebook Hacker, and many signs that point towards a hoax.

Thousands of Facebook users were startled Wednesday, when friends began warning friends to beware of a user with the email address This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

In a widely circulated warning letter, friends cautioned one another of This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 's ability to learn another user's "ID computer address" and hack their email.

The email, which asked recipients to "copy and paste this message to everyone even if you hate them", was itself the recipient of scorn from the majority of the online community.

Users on the popular internet trendspotter Websitepromotionhub.com,  who initially warned people that bm_tnoo7 was a hacker, seemed to have reversed their judgement today.

"It seems this has all been a bluff. To date, there are no reports of any damage or issues related to this alert. It's likely a virus spoof, and a waste of everyone's time," wrote user Spyro.

Users of Digitalspy.co.uk , perhaps the most respected cyberwatchdog  in Europe, concurred.

"Sounds very much like a virus hoax type of thing. There's no-one with that address signed up to facebook (not that you get to see their e-mail address when they send you a friend request) and I'm not sure there's such a thing as a 'ID 'computer address'" said forum member Toxeth Ogrady.

The CQ Extra, which took the unusual step of publicly requesting confirmation or dismissal of the rumour, failed to locate anyone who had been spammed by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Of the thousands of users who read this site's initial article on the alleged Facebook Hacker , which asked for victims of the hacking to come forward, no victims put their hand up.

Instead, our website received a wave of skepticism (at the veracity of the rumor) mockery (at the obvious "hoax signposts" in the composition of the cautionary email) and anger (at the fact that we elected to publish the suspected hacker's email address).

"Aah..glad I googled this. I'm quite a gullible shit, and wouldve started to send this off" - wrote Payal.

"Its too bad that to trace the origin of a hoax message like this would take days/weeks/months because it would be nice to be able to truss up the person who would start a mess like this in the first place" - commented  Charles.

Sebastian, however, was more angry at this website and at those among the Facebook ranks who took the bait. This reader wrote:

bm tnoo has been deleted from Facebook already. No doubt from being spammed after someone decided to send hoax messages around. Congratulations to the gullible of Facebook, whoever bm tnoo is has been forced off Facebook, for good or bad. More likely from being disliked. 
 
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The following email address is associated with an account that is no longer on Facebook: 
 
* bm_tnoo%@hotmail.com (sic)
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PS. CQ, great work on PUBLICLY publishing some RANDOM person\'s email address on the web for all the spammers to use.

The CQ Extra still encourages anyone who has been hacked by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to come forward.
Until this happens, however, it might be best for well-intentioned good samaratins to hold off on warning their friends about something that as of yet does not seem to exist.

Note: The CQ Extra editorial team wishes to point out that we believe our decision to publish This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 's email address was a good one. We are aware of the dangers of publicly releasing personal information online, but believe in this case the result has been more to the benefit of both the cyber community and that of the mysterious bm_tnoo7's than to the detriment of either.