Social networking site Facebook has reportedly come under attack from hackers looking to steal data from subscribers.
According to security experts, the site has been targeted on five occasions in the last seven days, the BBC reports.
Thieves are creating fake messages supplemented with the details of existing members.
Security firms are warning the popularity of social networking sites make them a rich target for hackers and would-be tech thieves.
"It's been a pretty bad week for social networking in general," Rik Ferguson, senior security advisor at Trend Micro, told the BBC.
In the last week Facebook had been hit by four malicious applications as well as a new variant of the Koobface virus, said Ferguson.
According to Ferguson, the rogue applications on Facebook try to acquire saleable information from the profiles of those who open it up.
One such application tries to trick people into adding it by claiming that their friends were unable to properly view their profile. When the application is added it spams itself to every friend of the member.
So far the rogue applications on Facebook have been scary and a nuisance more than anything else, said Ferguson.
"It's almost as if the applications we have seen this week are a proof of concept," he said.
Mr Ferguson has warned more sophisticated programs that hid their intent are set to appear soon on social networking sites.
News of attacks by thieves has accompanied an announcement by site founder Mark Zuckerberg that Facebook will not be introducing stricter controls on third party applications.
"There will occasionally be some applications that people don't like," Zuckerberg told BBC's Newsbeat.
"Our philosophy is that having an open system anyone can participate in is generally better."
Calls have been made for a compulsory screening process after some users fell victim to bad applications, BBC's Newsbeat reports.
Currently, Facebook only vets applications after they are offered to members and have been reported as a problem.
For a fee of up-to $550 developers can have their program considered for certification.
If successful, the program receives a " Facebook Verified App" badge.
A spokesman for Facebook said members should never give out their password and remain vigilant.
