STOP! Don't Click on a Link Until you Read These Three Quick Scammer Tips

We all get these every day but avoid the temptation to click on links before reading this

There was a time when all I ever did was receive emails and phone calls from recordings warning me of identification fraud.

I blocked these numbers & emails as well as using an excellent function in my iOS that helped stop the distractions (more on that in another post).

These can, unfortunately, send panic to anyone, especially those who are a bit more vulnerable and uninformed of the changing climate of cyber fraud.

Everyone has to be online. We’re so used to it now; it’s become the standard way of dealing with the simplicities and complexities of life.

I wanted to share three things that I do to check the validity of an offer.

I thought it would be essential for anyone less aware of these three easy tips; they will serve you well before clicking on a scam link.

By the way, anything can happen when you click on a link.

The best option forward is not even to bother clicking — as someone can take over your phone, access passwords, bank details and private apps.

There is an endless list of traumatising things hackers can do to you, and the worst of it is clearing your bank account.

Make sure you inform family and friends of these tips if they own mobile and have email addresses.

The first step is to:

One: Not panic if it's a threat

Two: DONT click on any links until you have done some investigation.

Here is a text/email I received (and not entirely sure how they got my details).

The message creates excitement because it seems so easy, and anyone of any age can pretty much do this and supposedly make money in the process.

Plus, you feel important because there is an activation code.

So it’s very much made to look like a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”

But the problem is, people will get so excited they might try to send this message to friends, who will, in turn, click on the link anyway!!

Please, pretty please, DO NOT get too excited. If it seems too good to be true, then it usually is.

So, this is based on Youtube, and we have to do a little bit of Google searching.

Here are my steps towards uncovering whether it's legit or a scam

(let's indulge in this a bit because you are probably well aware it's a scam)

One: Get on google and search the offer (to see if anyone else has written a post or perhaps there is some warning regarding this particular offer.

This is what I found:

This post dates back to December 17th 2020!!

So it looks like the person sending the message is attempting to make some fast cash in 2022 if they can.

Two: Search the number online, or through a scam app

When I did this, I used the number in my search function on my mobile.

It led me to a location called Christmas Island.

It's an Australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. It is located in the Indian Ocean (when I searched for its correct location on Wikipedia)

The message starts to look like a scam, now doesn't it? However, I have one more tip to blow these steps out of the water.

Three: Check who the sender is

Notice how the sender's email is icloud.com?

If this was a legitimate email from YouTube (which it should be if they are looking for staff), it should look more like this: [email protected] (or whatever they use as their business handle).

If the email handle doesn’t contain the company name of the organisation supposedly sending the message or email — then it’s legitimately a big fat SCAM.

That's pretty much it.

The email handle tells you it's a scam.

But, since you might be curious (as I am a bit of a cyber security freak), I like to go through a couple of other steps to see the extent these hackers go through to make money the wrong way and try to destroy peoples lives.

It's wrong, and I think we all need to be very vigilant by educating ourselves a bit more.

It's also a matter of realising that you can never get something for nothing.

As much as we would all like to make easy money, eventually, it will come back to bite us on the bum.

What you do to other people comes back to you multiplied. So be aware, dear friends. Know your scammer's minds well and be one step ahead.

I hope this helps you.

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