This article was written using ChatGPT, with minimal revisions to the generated content.
Phishing is one of the most widespread and dangerous forms of online fraud. It consists of posing as a reliable company or organization, with the aim of obtaining personal or financial information from the victims. One of the most recent phishing scams hitting Twitter users involves an email inviting them to review the terms of service to keep the blue check.
The blue check, on which Elon Musk relies heavily to relaunch Twitter, is a verification symbol that is assigned to the Twitter profiles of celebrities, companies and public organizations, and is a sign of authenticity and reliability. Anyone who receives an email claiming they need to review the terms of service to keep the blue check should be very careful, as this is a phishing scam.
By clicking on the sender, it turns out that the email comes from an address that refers to an online bijoux store in Romania, which immediately makes it clear that it is a deception. By clicking on the link in the email, you are in fact directed to a fake site that asks you to enter your personal information and pay a fee for verifying your profile. Actually, this information is used to steal money or to do other illegal activities.
It is important to note that Twitter never requires users to enter their login credentials to get the blue check or for any other reason. And if it does, it doesn’t do it in English for Italian users.
How to protect yourself from phishing? Here are some useful tips:
- Always check the origin of the email: if you don’t recognize the sender or if the domain is suspicious, it’s best not to click on the links in the email.
- Never enter your personal or financial information on unsafe sites: if you receive an email asking you to enter this type of information, it is better not to do so and contact the company or organization in question directly to verify the authenticity of the request.
- Always keep your security system up-to-date: Use up-to-date security software and scan your system regularly for malware.
- Beware of suspicious emails: if the email contains grammatical errors, suspicious links or strange requests, it is better not to click on it and delete it immediately.
- Use a secure and different password for each online account to better protect your personal data.
Cyber Hygiene
Cyber hygiene: 5 easy steps to protect our digital life
by Arthur of Corinth
