If you've seen something that is so "good to be true" platform, then it might and usually is. That's scammers preying on good people.
In this article we're gonna go over on how to spot a common scams and phishing attempts. I am going to focus on crypto here but this technique can also be applied anywhere. And if you are new in crypto, this will be a big help to you.
Scam and Phishing Attempt
An effective scam or phishing attempt is engineered specifically to fool you and lowering your guard down and take your private information that you would otherwise keep safe.
One of the most common strategies scammers use to take your hard-earned money is by;
Spoofing legitimate websites
Social media accounts
YouTube channels
and mobile applications.
This phishing attempts are engineered to get you excited about free money or big returns for little work. Scammers are showing you big possibilities to have big amount of money, your excitement will cause you to overlook the signs that it's a scam.
Never ever give out your information to anyone like your wallets seed phrase, login information for websites, passwords or anything that will give them access to your money.
No legitimate company will ever ask for it, cause there's nothing of those words can be use for except for taking or stealing your money.
How do you spot a scam or a spoof account?
Sometimes you see in an advertisement that something lines up like "Send me some crypto and I'll send you 10x back". This is the most common scam, where someone is asked to send Bitcoin or other crypto currencies to their address and in return they are promised more money.
Remember, transactions in the blockchain are irreversible, once you send crypto to someone, it's theres.
If there is a promise of a huge and too good to be true in return, beware!
Always look for the real brand of the well-known companies. Scammers will take popular social media handles and tweak them in just a bit to trick you into a false sense of security.
How do you know the website you're looking at is real?
Just like how you can spot a fake username on social media, you can spot a fake website too.
Spell checking saves lives.
Always make sure to check the spelling of the website. Make sure the site ended with ".com", ".io" and ".net".
Scammers will play with the spelling of name and domain of the websites in order to caught you off guard.
Even if you Google a website, you have to be careful. Scammers will sometimes purchase advertising so that there website is on the top sponsored post.
Strange videos on YouTube
We have seen hacked YouTube channels, which can be difficult to tell apart from legitimate channels. Hackers after gaining access can easily change the channel's name.
If you've seen something strange like a popular channel with only one video, that's probably a scam. If any video is promising big rewards and links you to an external website, run away.
But first report the video, this will help YouTube know that there is something fishy about that video or the channel.
Don't click but type
And don't click on strange links. Whenever possible, type the URL for your preferred website yourself to avoid getting trick by a fake link. Even better, when you are sure you got the right link, bookmarked it yourself so you will always have a fast track to the real deal.
Always check out
Telegram is so popular among crypto companies that it's a hot bed for scammers in every chat. And it's easy for a scammer to make a fake account that looks real. When in doubt, check it out. And when in no doubt, still check it out anyway.
Be vigilant
One of crypto's main teacher is that you are in full control of your money with no banks and no institutional oversight. And this means that you are the only one to be responsible about your security. So be vigilant.
Question
If you ever come across something that just doesn't looks right or seems fishy, ask questions. The more information you have the more aware you will be.
Crypto currency world is a not for people who cries over its lost money, you must take the risk of whether to gain or to lose.
Image sources:
Lead Image: Warning
First Image: Scammer
Second Image: Phishing
Third Image: Scam Website
Fourth Image: Scam on YouTube
Fifth Image: Type
Sixth Image: Check it
Seventh Image: Be vigilant
Eighth Image: Question
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