• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

AreWeConnected.com

Custom WordPress Websites that Rock!

  • Home
  • About
    • Hire a Tech Dude!
    • Recommendations
    • Add your testimonial
  • WordPress
    • Custom WordPress Website Build
    • The Managed EVERYTHING Website!
    • Making your site “SECURE”
  • FAQ
    • Making Your Site SECURE
  • BLOG
    • Posts about WordPress
    • Guest Post and Comment Policy
  • Contact

Don’t get scammed

Social Media · February 22, 2016

40
SHARES
FacebookTwitterSubscribe

Just a quick public service announcement.

It’s hard to be safe and smart in this day and age. Just as soon as you think you are smarter than the bad guys, they come up with a different plan of attack.  Here’s a few things to be aware of.

Recently a client forwarded to me an email they received.  It looked like it was real estate related (and they are an agent), had a attached document that looked like a .pdf

sketchy email

Other than the misspelling (Beam not Beams) it might look just fine. Opening up the .pdf looked like this.

The bad link within the .pdf

Chances are, your computer is out of date (most everyone is).  So still nothing to arouse your suspicion, right?  That link went to a link shortening service (bit.ly) so you couldn’t tell where it actually went to yet.

How can you see where a shortened link goes without going there first?

Did you know that Bit.ly has a preview feature?  To do this, simply add a + sign to the end of any Bitlink in your browser. For example, for http://bit.ly/Wn2Xdz just enter http://bit.ly/Wn2Xdz+ into your browser and you’ll be sent to a preview page for the link without opening up the actual page.  So I did that.

A brit.ly preview of the malicious link

That link wasn’t going to go to a .pdf at all. It was leading to a .php file and that’s a whole lot of NOPE!

A .php file (and a few others) can load malicious code on your computer. That code could send back to the bad guys all of your contact list, all of your passwords, even those tax filings you have from last year.

It doesn’t stop there either. Your computer might then become a host, sending out even more malicious code to everyone else.

A few weeks ago I noticed a huge spike in returned emails.  These were emails I never sent.  They looked like they came from me – the email address was correct but the name BEST WATCH certainly wasn’t.email phishing

12439216_10153988104397216_6294442083156406303_nWhat happened was someone had malware on their computer. Unknowingly this program went into their contact list and chose one person (me). It then sent out more malware emails to the rest of their contacts, spoofing the email to look as if it came from me.  Once it was done it probably chose another contact and duplicated it again and again.  This all happens outside of the persons email program so they don’t even see it happening. You can see how this can grow exponentially, right?

I was getting over 3,000 returned emails an hour!

Great! But What Can I Do?

Good question!

  1. Make sure your computer is up to date.
  2. Make sure you have virus protection.
  3. Make sure you are using Two Factor Authentication for most all your logins.
  4. Be suspicious of everything you don’t immediately recognize.

Here’s another way the bad guys are working right now.

Have you seen an uptick in new friend requests on Facebook?  When you go to their profile there’s just a profile pic and not much else?  Or they have very few related friends?  Or is it someone you thought you were already friends with?

They are spoofed accounts and the bad guys behind them are looking to catch unsuspecting people.  It’s not just Facebook. One of the best places to earn your trust is on the new online dating apps.  Here’s just a few that I know of…

zoosk

 

and even Christian Mingle…

Spoofed on Christian Mingle too

This is funny as I’m happily married for 30 years.  But then again there are sites out there like Ashley Madison…

While I could be on a dating site, it would be hard to make up a new offspring.  LOL!

The son I never had
The son I never had

Great! But What Can I Do?

  1. Don’t except a friend request from someone that you don’t know. I know, you are in sales – I get that. Just take a moment to look into if this person is real. Don’t go by the number of friends they have in common. You would be surprised how many of your real friends would just accept anyone (especially if he’s a Hunk or she’s a Looker).
  2. Online dating is risky. Do some serious sleuthing on Google before you get too far. Did you know you can search Google for an image?  https://www.google.com/imghp  search Google for an image

The moral of the story: Be careful out there and please hesitate before you click (or wire me or anyone money)

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Mike Mueller
Connected?
Mike Mueller
VP of Happiness at AreWeConnected.com
A former professional hand model, Mike builds Custom WordPress Websites that rock!


He's an avid hockey fan, rides a mountain bike, sometimes rides a road bike, has a few motorcycles (he had a really fast one, bought a cool orange one, rode a really slow one, and now,a perfect "BDR Weapon"). If that isn't enough, he makes cheese and sourdough bread, loves strong beer and good red wine, and poorly plays the Mandolin.
Mike Mueller
Connected?
Latest posts by Mike Mueller (see all)
  • The Ultimate Guide to Writing the Perfect Blog Post - March 14, 2023
  • 8 Questions Your Web Developer Should Have Asked - April 27, 2021
  • Slack, Chat or Discord? - April 6, 2021
40
SHARES
FacebookTwitterSubscribe
New Comment Policy:
If you see something, say something!
(shamelessly borrowed from Homeland Security but really, let's bring commenting on posts back!)

Filed Under: Social Media

Previous Post: « What is a podcast?
Next Post: Being Authentic and Strong Opinions »

Primary Sidebar

Who runs this Pop Stand?

Mike Mueller
Mike@AreWeConnected.com
PH: (925) 456-4567

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Look, it’s Just a Newsletter!

  • While I might write a bunch, the newsletter is set to go out only on Wednesdays. That's it!  Just one day a week! Can you handle that?
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FREE Downloads

Icon
1843Small Biz Websites Built so far…

Let's Build Yours!

Expert Google Workspace help

Get Started and then hire the right help!

Lighten up!

Search: (anything)

Sign In / Up

  • Account
  • Website Management Subscription
  • The Managed EVERYTHING Website!

DM me. Really!

Have a question about anything I do? DM me! Message @mikemueller

Who to host with?

It's the #1 question I'm asked - where to find inexpensive shared hosting. Here's who I recommend.
Data Servers are a HUGE drain on the power grid. Here's a host that sources 300% of it's power from Wind and Solar! On top of that, their service ROCKS!
Check out GreenGeeks

Need more power?

WPEngine has it!

Hacked?

Sucuri Security
Creative Commons License
This site was built, is hosted, and backed up, and maintained by Mike Mueller. AreWeConnected is about the open sharing of ideas without a hidden agenda. Assume any link on this site is an affiliate link, Clicking on affiliate links costs you nothing extra (probably saves you $) and helps support this site.
PRIVACY POLICY

MANAGE YOUR ACCOUNT

CHAT
...another Custom Wordpress Website by Mike Mueller Hi!