Don't get tricked by hidden spam on this forum

[ivakar]

this scam is working not only here on bitcointalk
in fact such scum attempts are used in game chats!! for example, my friend's account on eve online was attacked and hijacked  this way
he open link from in game chat and here we go.
so always use your brain and antivirus on your pc!

[wwzsocki]

...Safety always comes first, but I don't want to be a slave to paranoia

I don't think this is paranoia only common sense.

Just imagine that you were lazy and haven't checked a link properly (because you had no time and trusted your antivirus software), which leads you to a fake website that takes over your password and because of this lost money.

Paranoia? Of course not, just a simple "No Exceptions Rule" in my opinion, especially when dealing with crypto.

[Lucius]

Paranoia? Of course not, just a simple "No Exceptions Rule" in my opinion, especially when dealing with crypto.

From the very beginning, I realized that knowledge and investing in security is most relevant when it comes to cryptocurrency. Because of that I invest in hardware wallet, then in the best security software for my PC/smartphone, as well in constant learning about crypto. All this combined together is enough to make me feel fairly safe, although there is no absolute security, and we are all subject to errors.

Most suspicious links in forum are removed very quickly, but those "hidden spam" is sometimes difficult to detect. Even if it's removed, it's easy to create a new account and start over again.

[Eugenar]

this scam is working not only here on bitcointalk
in fact such scum attempts are used in game chats!! for example, my friend's account on eve online was attacked and hijacked  this way
he open link from in game chat and here we go.
so always use your brain and antivirus on your pc!

Basically games are already implementing protection in banning links that can be spread across the game chats. It's part of the regulation and standard that they need to follow. But that is from the mainstream games, small rated and unfamiliar games mostly didn't follow protocols. As I experienced, some spammers and frauds use the quotations on this forum, they quote, and change the context and attach the links which makes it believable from the viewers.

[nakamura12]

Sometimes there aren't from a newbie account rather from an old account like what happens to me last year. I was browsing at the services looking for something that can benefit me. when I saw a Full Member posted a referral link for an airdrop. When I see him that he was a full member, I never doubt his post and I continue to make the task he ask for. He said when you do this, I give you that. not only me, including some other old members, fall to his hidden trap. because he offers a hundred dollars for 1 referral. everyone is telling him that if he lies he suffer the consequences.

After the appointed times that he promised that he will give the reward, he didn't give anything, instead he mocked at us. he didn't give a single penny to the participants of his scammed referral task. Everyone is banned after that incident including me for 1 week. after that, I learn some lessons. even the offer comes from a legendary member if it is strange. I won't take it anymore.

Well, that old member you are talking about may not be the real owner. It could be an account that has been sold to someone secretly. Other possible things that it could be the real owner and want's to earn money by planning a scheme. That old member shoupd be red tagged.

[khaled0111]

Well, that old member you are talking about may not be the real owner. It could be an account that has been sold to someone secretly. Other possible things that it could be the real owner and want's to earn money by planning a scheme. That old member shoupd be red tagged.

in fact, the rank doesn't mean anything and you should not trust someone just because he has a high rank especially if he ranked up before the merit system has been implemented.
What you should check is his trust page and feedbacks left by other members who dealt with him before.

[desticy]

What to do if you encountered such thread

1. Do not click on any links or visit the site that is mentioned by googling it.
2. Do not reply to the topic, unless to warn other users about suspicious activity.
3. Report the thread to moderators.

Sometimes newcomers are even too lazy to read topics specially created for them, and even more so to report and disseminate information about skms.
I urge everyone not to be lazy and always strive to disseminate information especially about scammers and questionable sites / forms / services.
There are many Scamers, but our vigilance will allow us, if not to get rid of them, then reduce their impact on the market.

[panganib999]

We all know to not click on any suspicious links, and on this forum spam usually gets deleted pretty quickly. However, there's a special kind of spam links that often stays for longer periods of time.
It usually looks like the following:

Code:

Has anyone tried this service?
*link to the service or just name of the service*

By making it look like the original poster isn't promoting the service but merely asking people's opinions about it, such thread generates much more clicks and genuine replies than the usual spam link that gets deleted after a few minutes. The sites that are spammed in this way are usually the same scams, ponzi's, phishing and malware sites.

Here's some tips for distinguishing genuine questions from hidden spam:
1. OP is a brand new account.
    If OP is a fresh account, they probably were registered with sole purpose of starting this thread.

2. The thread is created in incorrect section.
    If you see such threads in board other than Service Discussions, it should raise a huge red flag.

3. The OP is very short.
    Legitimate topics about services usually start with some small personal review or short description of a service. Spam threads usually start with just a single question like "Have you heard about X?".


What to do if you encountered such thread

1. Do not click on any links or visit the site that is mentioned by googling it.
2. Do not reply to the topic, unless to warn other users about suspicious activity.
3. Report the thread to moderators.

Newbies or beginners should take note of this because they are solely prone to be victims and targets of hidden spams for people behind it knew that newbies are so naive and innocent about what's really in this forum and are exploring and wants to test everything. Once and for all, everyone should think like they are the spammer or let's say the criminals in crypto world so they can foresee and hesitate to visit links provided in threads.

[Jating]

I would just like to bump this thread because it seems that those shillers has evolved as well.

1. They will put like a wall of text to look like it was well crafted posts and carefully thought of
2. Then they discreetly insert what they are shilling for, i.e trading exchange.

This is just one example seen recently: The 3 Most Trusted Crypto Trading Platforms in 2020.

[erikoy]

Yes I had encountered it even here in the section. I even qouted that the post is like indirectly promoting the links which could be a malware. I never click on that kind of link because I know that there is a possibility that it is justo trick other people by doing such like posting an innocently asking tye opinion of others and then post the link they wanted to promote.

This is likely bad most who report bad links here explain why it is that kind of link is bad or probable malware.

[hatshepsut93]

I would just like to bump this thread because it seems that those shillers has evolved as well.

1. They will put like a wall of text to look like it was well crafted posts and carefully thought of
2. Then they discreetly insert what they are shilling for, i.e trading exchange.

This is just one example seen recently: The 3 Most Trusted Crypto Trading Platforms in 2020.

Something similar happens on the altcoin board - users create topics like "top 3 coins to invest", the first two are one of the big coins, and the last one is some unknown shitcoin that is being shilled for. And on Bitcoin boards shills promote blogs and news sites all the time. I generally avoid the threads created by brand new users that contain links in OP - it's some spam or shilling 99% of the time.

[minairia3]

2. Then they discreetly insert what they are shilling for, i.e trading exchange.

Ive always saw this on some boards on altcoin, they likely show some rating of different project like exchange and you would noticed the title that best crypto of 2020, but if you would scanned their post you only noticed there is something like an outlier. Of course everyone are familiar with the top coins then suddenly an unknown is part of the list. Im sure you all find the name of titan coin with these kind of post. Obviously a shilling method. But isnt those kind of post allowed?

[DdmrDdmr]

<…>

This case baffles me somewhat, on the correct cause of action, or namely the correct concept to report it under. The profiles creates OPs of the kind, whereby the shilled site is placed alongside at least one known site, trying to be read as "good by association or comparison". Normally, the OP will create the thread, and not comeback to it when queried. As far as I can tell, it’s on the verge, or surpasses, the cases covered by rule nº 24:

<…> 24. Advertisements (including signatures within the post area) in posts aren't allowed unless the post is in a thread you started and is really substantial and useful.[9][e] <…>

It’s not an Ad per se in terms of format, but the whole purpose of the post, especially when taken with the perspective of prior posts from the same person, is to shill for a given site, amidst a longish post that can be partially true, and largely misleading due to skewed information. It’s better disguised than most that aim at shilling, and can’t be immediately dismissed as those that are clearly cero added valued shillers, off-topic, advertising in someone else’s thread and so forth. Nonetheless, it is reportable, but requires some detailed explanation.

[CryptocurencyKing]

That's so true @op. The thing is, we've all got the idea of the fact that, the bitcointalkforum is that which clarifies issues on cryptos and verifies platforms and at times, we forget that the forum is free for all and as such, some users here can use the trust on the forum to perpetuate these crypto scams by coding links in a way that it seems appealing and original.
It's left for more experienced users to note and raise alarm when discovered and so far, we've been doing so, at least I see quite a few and some locked topics by moderators. But then, you don't always get tempted to tap just any link out of curiosity as it could be phishing oriented links.

[btc_angela]

<…>

This case baffles me somewhat, on the correct cause of action, or namely the correct concept to report it under. The profiles creates OPs of the kind, whereby the shilled site is placed alongside at least one known site, trying to be read as "good by association or comparison". Normally, the OP will create the thread, and not comeback to it when queried. As far as I can tell, it’s on the verge, or surpasses, the cases covered by rule nº 24:

Yes, but if you look at that thread, the author shills for maybe 2 out of the 3 sites he mentioned. Only Kraken does ring a bell to me, the two? Perhaps it is the crypto trading exchanges that he is shilling, I can't find plagiarism, so yes, they have advances in terms of taking advantage of this forum for shilling.