Twitter fraud alert: be aware of this dangerous scam
A recent cyber attack has left Twitter users vulnerable. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has identified an attack where cybercriminals compromised the accounts of prominent public figures and used them to solicit payments from unsuspecting Twitter users.
FinCEN has outlined the following indicators to help you detect whether a phishing attack is being acted out upon you:
A user is direct messaging you with promises of investment or donation returns for payments made to accounts or people with which you have no prior relationship.
Communications soliciting payments with misspellings in the message.
Celebrities or public figures (even if the profile is verified) soliciting payments through direct message or public posts.
Requests for donations via social media where the solicitor is not affiliated with any reputable organization.
Posts that solicit donations or advertise giveaways from accounts that are not verified or misspell the public figure/organization’s name in the profile handle.
Multiple accounts communicating the same message soliciting funds for an unknown purpose or to an unknown account.
Communications that provide the same transaction link across multiple celebrity or public figure accounts.
So, what can you do to stay safe?
Use a strong password.
Always verify that you are on twitter.com or the official Twitter app before giving your login information.
Be wary of direct messages or Twitter mentions from users you do not know.
Do not complete any financial transactions with a user who reached out to you through Twitter. An unknown soliciting donations or transactions through Twitter is likely a scammer.
Report any profile you suspect is committing fraud.
As social media evolves, cyber criminals are finding more and more inventive ways to steal money from innocent users. Stay aware and have a healthy suspicion while using Twitter to avoid falling victim to their scams. As a general rule, you should ignore any direct messages or mentions from users you do not know, and do not click on any links posted by a profile you do not know.