UPDATE Twitter Scams
TWITTER PHISHING/HACKING/HIJACKING/SCAMMING/SPAMMING
UPDATES are here at the TOP of the page and where this original blog began will be marked below. (If your twitter account has been taken over, remember to change your password. If you have received a link, remember not to click on it or that will 'hack' your own account.)
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: December 29, 2012 ~ Latest DM (direct message) says, "hilarious pic (followed by a tinyurl link)
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: December 9, 2012 ~ Latest DM (direct message) says, "FYI, this profile on twitter (gives a link beginning with a bit.) is spreading nasty blogs about you."
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: November 8, 2012 ~ Lastest DM (direct message) to come through, don't click the link.
"Hey you hear about the gossip your mentioned in. It started some serious drama. It fired up a lot of people on here." ~ (followed by a link that begins bit.ly/)
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: September 26, 2012 ~ I received in my DM (direct message inbox) a message from a person I haven't been in tweet contact with. First, I checked her twitter account. It was a real person who seemed like a very nice person too. HOWEVER, secondly I sent her a tweet asking if she had sent me a DM or if this was yet another one of these twitter hackers/phishers things. She tweeted me back, yes she had been hacked. This is the first time I've seen this particular message
It said ~ R.I.P. Arnold (followed by a link that began with bit.) ~ I am thrilled I was suspicious, glad I asked the lady, and very pleased she being the nice woman she is got right back to me.
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: August 11, 12, 13, 2012 ~ The latest round of attempted twitter phishing/hacking/scamming appears to be happening. Yesterday and today I received DM (direct messages) ...
one message verbiage was similar to: "you were so funny in this video" with a link that says facebook.com with approximately 14 numbers behind it.
second message says "you didn't see them taping you" again with a facebook.com link that includes about 14 numbers.
third message: "I love this, I got 2" facebook.com/(sixteen numbers here)
DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK ~ Be advised, I believe this to be the latest 'scam' ~ especially those new/recent to twitter you can review 'other twitter scams' I have written about as described below. (and a lil bit about how they work).
IF YOU HAVE BEEN phished/hacked ~ CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD IMMEDIATELY.
Original blog posting begins here:
MATT BRIAN on MARCH 5, 2011 wrote a great blog post Beware Twitter Scam Application Claims to Show Who Visits Your Profile ~ It Can't!
I got FOUR direct messages total in last week from tweeps "Awesome new APP, see who views your profile (link provided)"
This is the latest incarnation of the 'see who views your profile' scam. Since you have authorized the application which allows these people your password, they use their authority to send out DM or direct messages to others. In other words they have taken over your account because you let them do it. The people were not trustworthy.
CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD IMMEDIATELY! <> added into blog June 27th because I forgot to say it in the first place!
They send out direct messages like the latest one "Awesome new APP..." which when the receiver clicks on the link ends up with their own account also being taken over.
KNOWN UNTRUSTWORTHY SCAMS
"see who views your profile" ~ "see who stalks your profile" ~ "someone said something bad about you" ~ "someone is saying horrible things about you" ~ "someone is posting bad things about you" ~ "someone is posting horrible things about you" ~ " saw a pic of you someone had posted" ~ "hey this user is making nasty things about you" ~ also one about weight loss which I can't remember the verbiage for now, it not only takes over your direct messages, it goes all out and tweets. With all of these a link is provided. <--- HOPEFULLY this gives you a glimpse of exactly the things to be very suspicious about!
I HAVE HEARD (gossip) but I have not confirmed ~ some of these scam locations can download the nasty viruses to your computer. I've only been taken in one time myself so far. In this case, I certainly hope I am one and done.
I am @grammakaye on twitter ~ I hope this little bit of information I have provided you will help you have a better Twitter experience. All are welcome to comment. Twitter is my primary social media. If you would like me to find you on Twitter, please leave your Twitter ID (handle) with your comment.
UPDATES are here at the TOP of the page and where this original blog began will be marked below. (If your twitter account has been taken over, remember to change your password. If you have received a link, remember not to click on it or that will 'hack' your own account.)
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: December 29, 2012 ~ Latest DM (direct message) says, "hilarious pic (followed by a tinyurl link)
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: December 9, 2012 ~ Latest DM (direct message) says, "FYI, this profile on twitter (gives a link beginning with a bit.) is spreading nasty blogs about you."
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: November 8, 2012 ~ Lastest DM (direct message) to come through, don't click the link.
"Hey you hear about the gossip your mentioned in. It started some serious drama. It fired up a lot of people on here." ~ (followed by a link that begins bit.ly/)
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: September 26, 2012 ~ I received in my DM (direct message inbox) a message from a person I haven't been in tweet contact with. First, I checked her twitter account. It was a real person who seemed like a very nice person too. HOWEVER, secondly I sent her a tweet asking if she had sent me a DM or if this was yet another one of these twitter hackers/phishers things. She tweeted me back, yes she had been hacked. This is the first time I've seen this particular message
It said ~ R.I.P. Arnold (followed by a link that began with bit.) ~ I am thrilled I was suspicious, glad I asked the lady, and very pleased she being the nice woman she is got right back to me.
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: August 11, 12, 13, 2012 ~ The latest round of attempted twitter phishing/hacking/scamming appears to be happening. Yesterday and today I received DM (direct messages) ...
one message verbiage was similar to: "you were so funny in this video" with a link that says facebook.com with approximately 14 numbers behind it.
second message says "you didn't see them taping you" again with a facebook.com link that includes about 14 numbers.
third message: "I love this, I got 2" facebook.com/(sixteen numbers here)
DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK ~ Be advised, I believe this to be the latest 'scam' ~ especially those new/recent to twitter you can review 'other twitter scams' I have written about as described below. (and a lil bit about how they work).
IF YOU HAVE BEEN phished/hacked ~ CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD IMMEDIATELY.
Original blog posting begins here:
MATT BRIAN on MARCH 5, 2011 wrote a great blog post Beware Twitter Scam Application Claims to Show Who Visits Your Profile ~ It Can't!
I got FOUR direct messages total in last week from tweeps "Awesome new APP, see who views your profile (link provided)"
This is the latest incarnation of the 'see who views your profile' scam. Since you have authorized the application which allows these people your password, they use their authority to send out DM or direct messages to others. In other words they have taken over your account because you let them do it. The people were not trustworthy.
CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD IMMEDIATELY! <> added into blog June 27th because I forgot to say it in the first place!
They send out direct messages like the latest one "Awesome new APP..." which when the receiver clicks on the link ends up with their own account also being taken over.
KNOWN UNTRUSTWORTHY SCAMS
"see who views your profile" ~ "see who stalks your profile" ~ "someone said something bad about you" ~ "someone is saying horrible things about you" ~ "someone is posting bad things about you" ~ "someone is posting horrible things about you" ~ " saw a pic of you someone had posted" ~ "hey this user is making nasty things about you" ~ also one about weight loss which I can't remember the verbiage for now, it not only takes over your direct messages, it goes all out and tweets. With all of these a link is provided. <--- HOPEFULLY this gives you a glimpse of exactly the things to be very suspicious about!
I HAVE HEARD (gossip) but I have not confirmed ~ some of these scam locations can download the nasty viruses to your computer. I've only been taken in one time myself so far. In this case, I certainly hope I am one and done.
I am @grammakaye on twitter ~ I hope this little bit of information I have provided you will help you have a better Twitter experience. All are welcome to comment. Twitter is my primary social media. If you would like me to find you on Twitter, please leave your Twitter ID (handle) with your comment.
Hi Kaye,the one I have been getting lately is click here and we can tell you what people are saying on twitter about you, well I can do that to lol, I read once a criminal saying I would rather work 24 hours to steal something and earn $5 bucks than to work an honest hour and earn $10. Have a great day and if you ever get a msg like that from me just let me know so that I can fix it quick, your friend,bill
ReplyDeleteoooo my goodness Bill, must be the new incarnation of 'someone is saying something bad about you' and I can't believe it, I have not seen that one yet.
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Thanks for visiting me.
I get a lot of those twitter emails. I hope none are sent out with my name on them. Hopefully, most people are aware of them.
ReplyDeleteHi Ms. T. ~ for the most part I regularly see it happening to recent or folks fairly new to twitter. For most of them, it comes as a shock. Thanks for visiting me. I appreciate it!
DeleteThanks, Ms. Kaye! I usually don't even bother to click 'em. But, great to be reminded - in case I ever got "tempted".
ReplyDeleteHello Ms. Claudia, another outbreak of all this has recently occured. Usually, it hits the folks that are recent or new to twitter. Most of them are pretty shocked when it happens to them. I thought maybe I should say a little something about it. Thanks for visiting me.
DeleteGood post, Kaye. I see similar messages often on Twitter, and comparable scam posts on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s important for people to remember never to click on any link that they’re at all uncertain about. And don’t click on links that come from people you don’t know. This is indeed a case of curiosity killing the cat.
Being online brings a great many risks and nuisances. We all need to be savvy and to keep ourselves well-informed about situations that could compromise our computers, or access our personal information.
It’s sad and frustrating that some people seem intent on doing everything possible to scam or cause grief for others.
Hello Ms. Super Earthling ~ I truly do not 'get it' the 'why' of it all. Truthfully, I'd have to have someone smarter than me take me step-by-step through what it is these folks are receiving. As in 'what is their payoff', are they making money doing these things? You brought forward an excellent point.
DeleteEver so often brand new legitimate accounts do make it to twitter who in their fresh newness simply send out a link with no message. IF I CAN MAKE THE TIME, I'll give 'em a tweet with "Hey this is what the baaad people do." & I let them know they could get blocked and reported for spam and/or suspended/all that. It all hinges on if/when I see their tweet and IF I CAN MAKE THE TIME to let them know.
Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. TRULY appreciated.
Great info. I also don't follow ppl until I see if they send real tweets, or just RT others. Or if their tweets are only one subject (make money at home- you can get rich at home, etc) them I don't follow. If I see someone who interacts with others at least some of the time, then I'm in. And beware tweets that are too tempting, like those you mentioned. They are just waiting to trash you. :D Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteOH YES, as much as we all love twitter or the tweeter as I sometimes refer to it, "twevil" can be 'afoot' there. In all honesty, transparency and truth, I rarely follow people first these days. (There are a few exceptions). It's less stressful and helps with my personal 'time demands' to be able to look over those who follow me. I get some really fabulous ones that way and then some 'not so much' as in 'this ain't gonna happen'. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and commenting. I really appreciate you did this for me. It also helps those folks who come after and read to see some possible perilous 'pitfalls'.
DeleteNice post and it's nice to meet you neighbor!! I'm Mary - Mariodacat's mom. i've been on Twitter for 3 years now and all of the above have happened to me at one time or another. Now I don't click on links in DMs unless a friend has told me they were sending me something. We have met so many wonderful people all over the world. I just love Twitter and the blogopshere!
ReplyDeleteHello neighbor Mary with lotta love to your Mariodacat. I am pretty much an amateur blogger, but felt the need very especially for those recent/new to twitter that seem to get 'targeted' the most by these scoundrel scam people to 'say something' ~ any kind of alert. Hopefully it also tells folks who got taken, they aren't the only ones to have hit upon "not trustworthy" twitter things. I very much like and prefer Twitter, don't like folks getting 'taken' like this. I so appreciate you visiting me. Thank you.
DeleteThese DMs might be not too harmless once you have exercised countermeasures, but there are those that can steal your identity and ruin you. There’s this one incident where somebody was posing as my friend. This is why it’s important to take precautionary measures. Anyway, thank you for the tip on tweeting the person first before opening the DM. =)
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Annie
Thank you Annie for reading and commenting. I'm not a very 'high tech' person. I simply found it important to write up what I could about this subject and share it. Mostly, I see this happen with either new to twitter or persons fairly recent to twitter.
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I know at least one really nice lady who had this happen and simply couldn't tolerate twitter afterwards and left us. I miss her.
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Thank you again Annie for your reply.