The current hottest scam out there relies on something every one of us has in order to make the scam work: It's our curiosity. Realizing that human curiosity is stronger than our desire to get a great deal on something, or whatever reasons most people fall for scams, the bad actors out there know if they can intrigue you, they can con you, too.

And that's exactly what's happening with something called the Facebook "Look Who Died" scam. The Look Who Died scam is currently spreading throughout Facebook, and if you should fall for it, you could have a big problem, or at the very least, a big pain in your butt.

Malware Detected Warning Screen with abstract binary code 3d digital concept
Your curiosity won't be satisfied, but at least you'll have some new malware on your device. (Getty Images)
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Here's The Thing About This Scam---It's Very Simple, And It's Shown Great Results For The Bad Guys Out There

Let's attempt to break it down here for you, so you won't become a victim, and you'll be able to share the information with friends and family members who might find themselves targeted by this particular scam. There are variations, but the bottom line on the "Look Who Died" scam is the same whether you live in Illinois, or any other place with an internet connection.

The scam usually starts with Facebook Messenger, with people receiving a message that seems to have come from someone they know. In the message, the sender (a scammer) will include a link to a "news story" along with the words "Look who died."

Depending on the scammer's methods, the so-called news story will be about someone dying that the intended victim may know, or a famous celebrity passing away unexpectedly.

But that's not really what the news story is about at all. Here's an example:

Brandon Haub, Facebook
Brandon Haub, Facebook
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And another:

Joyce Cole, Facebook
Joyce Cole, Facebook
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This Is Where Curiosity Comes In To Play, And Where The Problems For The Victim Begin

The whole goal of the Look Who Died message is to get you to click on the link provided by the sender.

Don't do it. Don't click on it. Delete it and move on. If you do click on the link, you've just opened the door to the bad guys, as WGAL.com explains:

Typically, the links include directions to log into a user's Facebook account, which is then used to steal passwords and usernames.

That account access can then be used to send similar messages to individuals in your friends list.

Again, most of the time, this scam is sent through Facebook Messenger. But it also can be a text or email.

If you do make the mistake of clicking on the link, go here to see what you can do about it.

LOOK: The biggest scams today and how you can protect yourself from them

Using data from the BBB Scam Tracker Annual Risk Report, Stacker identified the most common and costly types of scams in 2022.

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