Facebook users are currently spreading a warning urging their friends to avoid a fraudulent Christmas tree application, but it turns out they're all barking up the wrong tree.

Security firm Sophos has noticed thousands of Facebook users posting messages with the title, "WARNING!!!!!! DO NOT USE THE Christmas tree app on Facebook. Please be advised it will crash your computer. Geek squad says it's one of the WORST trojan-viruses there is and it is spreading quickly. Re-post and let your friends know!!!!!"

But according to Sophos, there is no Christmas tree app virus, and Facebook users' fears and insecurities are making this fake warning spread so quickly.

"Ironically, the hoax is probably spreading much faster than any of the genuine commonly encountered Facebook viruses at the moment," reads a Sophos blog post.