Warning: Phishing private messages are being sent to members

[asousain]

Got a private message from a 2-hour old account named 'Bears', it claims to click a link to get a chance to win iphone 12.

I copied the link into google virus scan tool ( https://www.virustotal.com/gui/) and the link in the message was showing as phishing. DO NOT click on any link in your private messages unless you check how old is the account and test the URL in the tool above.

[Spudster]

Way to go, @PixiePenny 

You did your part.   I got one as well earlier, since reported and deleted from my private message box.

[PixiePenny]

Phishing! Reported

Private message received 21hrs ago:

from a "MilaGonzalez"

Hi! You want to make over than $9,000 in your first week? Hurry to jump at the increasing crypto profits and quickly get rich! Visit - (dot)cryptorace(dot)net ~ and make yourself financially free!

[dac13]

Received another one...reported and deleted

from @SunHillsz 

Would you like to receive a surprise? Here is your lucky moment to win a beautiful brand new Apple i...

Hi there! We're giving away a brand new iPhone 12 Pro! You can participate today! Enter now ~~ www.winner-zone.com -- and complete easy sign up for a chance to a win iPhone 12 Pro. Good luck!

[darlicious]

@RosieR 

Handcuffs?!!.......

[RosieR]

@darlicious woah whipped cream, strawberries..... and handcuffs.  you go girl!  😁 😉 😍 😎

[darlicious]

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@darlicious wrote:

@RosieR 

I got my fair share of @Shortcakess  last night. Duly reported to the moderators. What a disappointment! I had the strawerries and whip cream all ready to go only to realize that it was not my very berry favourite dessert in my private message box.......

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Spoiler

[LurganIeUk]

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@Xenos wrote:

I received two of these messages yesterday and today, from two different new "members". One joined yesterday and the other joined today, just to send these messages out. Probably the same jackass or jackasses. I set to Ignore both members and deleted the messages without clicking the link. My philosophy in life is that nobody gives you anything for free. If it's too good to be true, then it is too good to be true. It is annoying though if this continues to happen with new so called "member" senders each time.

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But PM does. 

[Xenos]

I received two of these messages yesterday and today, from two different new "members". One joined yesterday and the other joined today, just to send these messages out. Probably the same jackass or jackasses. I set to Ignore both members and deleted the messages without clicking the link. My philosophy in life is that nobody gives you anything for free. If it's too good to be true, then it is too good to be true. It is annoying though if this continues to happen with new so called "member" senders each time.

[Korth]

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@darlicious wrote:

The only problem with that is how would potential customers ask about public mobile? Or a victim of a pot fraud or sim jacking get help?

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@cavemantoronto wrote:

Community is a marketing tool. If self serve account is needed to use Community, those thinking about activation can't ask questions.

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I don't think those would be issues.

If the private messages were restricted the way I described above then new users could still post in public forums and could still contact the Mods/Oracles in private messages. They could still ask questions, they could still resolve account lockouts and other issues. They could even be forced to use Simple Simon more often.

They just wouldn't be able to private message other folks until after they've invested into the community - an inconvenience for legit users, a setback for those who use multiple accounts to manipulate the Rewards system, a calamity for hit-and-run spammers.

Marrying the Self-Serve and Community accounts would prevent potential customers from asking questions. So maybe not a good idea. Even though a little bit of search engine effort would reveal that 99% of their questions have already been asked and answered a thousand times.

[cavemantoronto]

@Korth Community is a marketing tool. If self serve account is needed to use Community, those thinking about activation can't ask questions.

[darlicious]

@Korth wrote:

I honestly think each PM Self-Serve account should be paired with a PM Community account - one sign-in - one identity - one easy way for PM staff and PM customer to recognize identity and interact directly. Spammers wouldn't exploit the system (as much) if each account had a real price tag (SIM card + plan activation) attached to it.

@Korth 

The only problem with that is how would potential customers ask about public mobile? Or a victim of a pot fraud or sim jacking get help? I suspect its Putin's operatives trying to influence the choice of oracle applicants in order to penetrate the upper echelon of the community. There may already be a mole among us!

[Korth]

@darlicious 

It's likely only one spammer. Using some form of IP masking and numerous accounts. Disposable accounts, since the spammer knows they'll get shut down quick enough - just hoping/expecting that a large volume of scattershot copypasta will hook some gullible folks. Not even worth tracking and tallying these accounts since each one will be forgotten and abandoned once they've served the spammer's purpose.

The PM Community is a ripe fishing spot since PM evidently doesn't (yet) have effective spam-blocking installed. And since too many PM customers (especially new customers) have confusion about what this forum really is - they mistakenly assume that these messages are being sent to them by PM.

The first weakness can be fixed with changes in technical and policy implementations. It's not hard, countless online forums already do it very successfully. Just don't allow new users to send private messages to anyone other than Mods, Oracles, Retired Oracles, Referrals, and mutual Friends until they've earned their first Community Reward, problem solved.

The second weakness is sort of a half-half communication fault. I don't feel PM has explained things very well, they really could and should do better. But some customers will automatically click or sign anything without reading or thinking about it as anything more than an inconvenient delay - until they have a problem and don't know what to do, how or where to get it fixed.

I honestly think each PM Self-Serve account should be paired with a PM Community account - one sign-in - one identity - one easy way for PM staff and PM customer to recognize identity and interact directly. Spammers wouldn't exploit the system (as much) if each account had a real price tag (SIM card + plan activation) attached to it.

[darlicious]

@kb_mv 

Now that @Blackcherryz  messaged me too i just counted 21/38 spammers online....the forum is being attacked just like last december and the p o r n spammers! 

[JoyLuck]

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@J-L wrote:

I also received a private message from Sweetheartss saying I was selected as a winner of a brand new iPhone 12. The momentary excitement of oh yea! I won something was quickly replaced by oh this is too good be true and I don't remember seeing any contest announced by PM 🙁 . Then checked here and found this thread... Then reported and deleted it. But that feeling of being a winner for a fraction of a second was a nice feeling. Until it turned into the angry feeling of "how did this happen in private messages" on PM?    I hope no one clicked any of the links in the messages. 

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[J-L]

I also received a private message from Sweetheartss saying I was selected as a winner of a brand new iPhone 12. The momentary excitement of oh yea! I won something was quickly replaced by oh this is too good be true and I don't remember seeing any contest announced by PM 🙁 . Then checked here and found this thread... Then reported and deleted it. But that feeling of being a winner for a fraction of a second was a nice feeling. Until it turned into the angry feeling of "how did this happen in private messages" on PM?    I hope no one clicked any of the links in the messages. 

[kb_mv]

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@darlicious wrote:

I had the strawerries and whip cream all ready to go only to realize that it was not my very berry favourite dessert in my private message box.......

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@darlicious I saw the strawberries and whipped cream and almost made a witty reply but maturity prevailed and I walked away..... well kind of lol.

[darlicious]

@RosieR 

I got my fair share of @Shortcakess  last night. Duly reported to the moderators. What a disappointment! I had the strawerries and whip cream all ready to go only to realize that it was not my very berry favourite dessert in my private message box.......

[Jb456]

@dac13  report it to moderator's if you still have the message in your inbox.

 

[dac13]

@Catherine_T   I just received one today from  @Duchessss and reported it.

[RosieR]

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@gpixel wrote:

@5Gcauses I hope I win 😊🤞

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🤣🤣🤣 @gpixel 

[gpixel]

@5Gcauses I hope I win 😊🤞

[Anonymous]

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@5Gcauses wrote:

I’m not a suspect. I can confirm that to you. You’re are acting like I’m part of the bot phishing, 

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??? Huh? I thought I was trying to help giving some thoughts and suggestions. I made no such accusation.

[5Gcauses]

I’m not a suspect. I can confirm that to you. You’re are acting like I’m part of the bot phishing, anyways, I’m clumsy when it comes to posting things, I tried checking the community posts to see if it was already a topic but I guess I didn’t due diligence. I apologize , can a moderator delete my other topic post. I just thought I had reason to warn people but it had already been done. 

[Anonymous]

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@5Gcauses wrote:

I just posted this as a topic, will now delete. Can anybody give technical advice if you did manage to click on the link? 

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Your post and a reply are in some weird limbo state right now.

Report the spam.

Just never, but never click on a link that you don't know. Or, have your browser locked down to not let anything run if you are the type to try out unknown links.

As for what might've happened to your device from clicking on it and what to do about it...don't know what it might've done. I guess scan for any potential attacks.

[5Gcauses]

I just posted this as a topic, will now delete. Can anybody give technical advice if you did manage to click on the link? 

[0verCloud9]

 Good! I thought I was the only one getting spam 🙂 Reported Stinkers (nice name).

[MarStu51]

Yes, i did report this Phishing scam.. 😁

[kb_mv]

@MarStu51 Make sure you click the Report link bottom left of message.

[MarStu51]

I also received one today from Twinklys.

[ToMuchCatnip]

Thanks. Turned off private messaging and reported the message.