NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & SportsNetworking Sites Become Target For Computer Viruses

Networking Sites Become Target For Computer Viruses

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace or Twitter, can expose your computer to serious viruses. The paralyzing viruses can actually come from your own friends.

Computer experts, like the ones at TechPros, have seen a big boost in the virus scams as social networking sites grow in popularity.

"They can start blasting out messages to your friends," said Colton Carnes, TechPros. "It will redirect you to a different site, outside of Facebook."

Those messages and emails can lead to trouble.

"They are going to get you off of twitter and send you to another site," said Carnes.

The sites can infect your computer with viruses and cause it to run slow, but not shut it down.

"If they shut that computer down, it is of no use to them anymore either, they can't use It to send out messages, to collect information, but they don't want you using it and trying to get rid of it," said Carnes.

What makes the situation a growing problem was after hackers get into someone's account and starts sending out emails unsuspecting friends open it, trusting the sender.

"You just want to look before you click," said Carnes.

Experts said to be suspicious of Facebook, MySpace or Twitter messages that take you outside of the site.   

"As long as it's inside the site, it's okay to open the message," said Carnes.

Another warning many of those online offers for so-called anti-virus software are scams. In fact, they can flood your computer with viruses.

Billions of dollars were spent fixing computer viruses last year.