Yesterday, July 15, 2020, high-profile Twitter accounts were hacked in a cryptocurrency scam.
Twitter accounts compromised by Apple, Elon Musk and Joe Biden include Joe Biden, Barack Obama Jeff Bezos Warren Buffett Wendy’s, Uber, Jeff Bezos and Mike Bloomberg.
These messages, along with many others, read the following: “I am giving back.” I will double the amount of any payments made within the next 30 minutes to my BTC account. Send $1,000 and I will send $2,000 XX Charity.” These tweets also included a link that took you to a bitcoin wallet where you could make a deposit or invest.
Twitter claims that this was a coordinated social engineering attack on Twitter employees to allow the hacker “access internal systems, tools and systems.”
Although yesterday’s Twitter hack was highly publicized, scammers of this nature are quite common. Scammers can hijack accounts that have a large following by using weak passwords or breached passwords. Hackers will encourage their followers to invest or donate cryptocurrency.
Tips for Social Media Safety
Social media is a wonderful tool. It keeps you informed about the world around you and connects with family, friends, or strangers. It is a great way to connect with customers and improve your business. According to Stastisa in 2019, there were 2.77 billion people using social media. Social media is great, but it can be dangerous if people don’t keep their guard up.
Follow these best practices to stay safe when using social media.
Social media is a place where you shouldn’t give out too much personal information. When you travel, don’t give out your phone number, address, email or postal address. Don’t share sensitive information such as financial information, sensitive photos, and financial information. This information is used by identity thieves to track your movements and hack into accounts.
One of the most popular gateways to malware is social media. Malware can be spread via shortened links, or even hidden in advertisements. Pay attention to what you click! To see the correct URL, hover your mouse over it. It will be located in the lower left corner of your browser.
Catfishing is one of the biggest problems in online dating and social media. Catfishing is when an individual uses a fake online identity to find relationships. While this individual might be bored or just trying to make friends online, the motives of catfishing can often be more sinister. Some catfish are out to get revenge or steal personal information and money. You can spot a catfish by looking out for the following signs: They are too good to be true, their profile is incomplete or new; they move fast in the relationship; they won’t meet with you.
Excited about your upcoming vacation?
It’s great, but please don’t share it on social media. If you post your vacation plans online, it’s letting strangers know when is the best time to enter your home and steal your stuff.
Are you able to access social media from your smartphone?
If your phone is stolen or lost, ensure that it is password protected so that you can remotely wipe it. Strangers shouldn’t have access to your data and conversations. This could lead to a loss of reputation.
Accept no friend requests. It can be dangerous to grant strangers access, especially if your sensitive information is shared. Followers and friends should be careful!
Please read the privacy policies. Although it can be difficult to understand and read the policies, you should make sure that you are comfortable with how each social media site uses your data. You can also customize your privacy settings to limit who can view your content.
All accounts that are not in use should be deactivated. It is important that you do not leave any personal information unchecked online. Otherwise, it could be misused by strangers without your permission.
Remember that what goes online stays online. Although social media can be a great way to build a positive reputation it is just as easy to make a bad one. Be mindful of what you share and don’t post anything that could cause embarrassment to you, your friends, or your company.