There's apparently scammer going round pretending to be a Mastodon admin, demanding people "verify their identity".
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@FediTips Thanks for sharing it!
It happened early this morning. I didn't realize we were the only instance affected. We removed the account within a few minutes, so perhaps they decided it was no longer worth trying elsewhere after being caught so quickly.
Hopefully they have given up!
However, there have been several previous waves of almost identical scams, so it's useful anyway to warn people against this.
I'm guessing they repeated this scam today because verification has been in the news today (due to France's ID decision), and this kind of news helps scammers gain credibility. Previous scam waves have happened when verification laws have been in the news too.
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@FediTips @amministratore
Do you have the original image as well. Just to see what all was written.@fbinin @FediTips I published the original image here: https://mastodon.uno/@amministratore/116967326136690873
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
The scammers really went out of their way to do the graphic design, make it seem official as possible and they do a really good job imitating Mastodon's design.*
Holy shit, this is getting ridiculous.
Well I hope scammers will one day pursue a career path for graphic design rather than... scamming people. /j
*it's possible they probably used AI for graphic design
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
Many thanks to french law makers who made those scams plausible.
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
@FediTips @amministratore It was only a matter of time. *sigh*
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The scammers really went out of their way to do the graphic design, make it seem official as possible and they do a really good job imitating Mastodon's design.*
Holy shit, this is getting ridiculous.
Well I hope scammers will one day pursue a career path for graphic design rather than... scamming people. /j
*it's possible they probably used AI for graphic design
@NovemDecimal @FediTips Let's use this for marketing beautiful, high-effort designs. They're harder to imitate than bland, flat, geometric shapes, therefore more secure
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
age and therefore id verification is coming to mastodon because of the law
is there any 3rd party (or even 2nd party) that we should trust with such personal data?
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
-
There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
@FediTips @amministratore Unfortunately, with AI and its accelerated proliferation, the cumulative potential of instances being hacked, along with admin accounts spoofed, can lead to a significant fedi destabilization.
May be time to re-prioritize backup plans... at SEVERAL critical scales.
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
@FediTips @amministratore best way to be futur proof on any social.
If you receive this try to post something.
If the app allow you to post it's a scam.
because if you are REQUIRED to verify they definitively will prevent you to post until verified.
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age and therefore id verification is coming to mastodon because of the law
is there any 3rd party (or even 2nd party) that we should trust with such personal data?
-
There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
@FediTips @amministratore thank you not, governmentsof the world. your identification kink started this kind of scam
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
@FediTips @amministratore This scam only exists thanks to the goverments that implemented age verification.
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
@FediTips @amministratore that's not scammers, that's the UK government...
Oh wait, they're scammers too. -
There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
@FediTips @amministratore Good thing I run a single-user instance
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
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p.s. The scammers are apparently messaging people about "suspicious activity" and "guideline violations" claiming that the victim's Mastodon account will be deleted if they don't verify their identity within 24 hours.
This is a lie designed by the scammers to panic their victims into sending personal details without pausing to think.
Genuine Mastodon admins never ever send messages like that.
(Thanks again to @amministratore for the extra details!)
@FediTips @amministratore Every time I get spam I think about Detective Conan. Cute lil’ boy
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
@FediTips
The appearances I've seen of this scam are using the x.gd URL shortener.Aside from reporting the accounts on fedi, I've also been reporting the links (which are in violation of x.gd's ToS) here: x.gd/en/contact.
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There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
I got this too and immediately questioned and reported
-
There's apparently scammers going round pretending to be Mastodon admins, demanding people "verify their identity".
Do not click on their links, do not give them any info. It is a scam. Genuine Mastodon server admins never demand verification like this.
Here's a guide to how to recognise and avoid various kinds of scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
️ https://fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammers-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse(Thanks to @amministratore for providing warning about the latest wave of scam posts.)
Here's a SHORTER guide:
NEVER give out your personal information to an unsolicited online link.
TED Talk over.
