Keep contact details private

[Upgrade00]

This is a suggestion to forum members on how to protect their identity, especially if you offer specific services through your account.
There have been multiple cases of accounts getting hacked or cloned (fake one with similarly looking alphabets) and scammers using that as a means to rip people off using the (online) identity of a trusted member.

Keeping your contact details private: If you offer services on the forum, you'll regular be in contact with potential clients which could go beyond the forum. Do not make your contact details; such as telegram or discord username, email, or any other social media accounts, public on your announcement posts or your profile. Rather use the forum PM option as your primary means of communication and if clients reach out to you, then you can make them privy to your other details (if necessary).

This way you prevent multiple clones of your accounts and you also protect it from hack attempts.
Also if you're establishing contact with forum member on some other platform, always ask for prove of identity before entering any trade. This could be through a signed message or a PM confirmation through the individuals forum account.

[TravelMug]

Good suggestions, just to give you one example: Be careful fake telegram id similarly to my forum userid. Also people need to check the account detail for signs of change password/email recently.

[JeromeTash]

Good suggestions, just to give you one example: Be careful fake telegram id similarly to my forum userid. Also people need to check the account detail for signs of change password/email recently.

Some hackers don't even change the password or email. They will use your account without you noticing any change in the login credentials.
Here is an example of such scenario: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5177004.0
The best method is perhaps proof of identity through a signed message from an old staked bitcoin address

[Little Mouse]

If I'm not going to make my telegram public, how will I receive the PM from unknown people who is looking for the service which I'm offering? Most people are comfort with telegram. I got one of my signature campaign management through my service thread where the owner PM me to telegram.
On the other hand, scammers will still try to be pretending because I remember someone was pretending as suchmoon while suchmoon has no telegram to my known.

[sheenshane]

Afaik, telegram user name can't be clone unless if they will add a similar letter(s) and looks like your user name. I'm most active on telegram but so far I didn't encounter any clone or impersonating someone using my name.

Good suggestion OP but I think those social media account that easy to clone will most likely be recommended to hide. But for me, it is better to put my telegram username under my Bitcointalk profile. Probably it will give warn or information if someone searching my real identity.

[sujonali1819]

Some hackers don't even change the password or email. They will use your account without you noticing any change in the login credentials.

Really? If so then the case is very serious and we should aware of it.

Yes, I also believe we should not keep public our social media especially those who work in this forum. But sometimes it's better to keep a second option of the contact basically for the man who is giving their service in this forum. But always we should as OP said that confirming identity with forum pm or sign messages.  

[UserU]

Really? If so then the case is very serious and we should aware of it.

Yes, I also believe we should not keep public our social media especially those who work in this forum. But sometimes it's better to keep a second option of the contact basically for the man who is giving their service in this forum. But always we should as OP said that confirming identity with forum pm or sign messages. 

Yup, some are smart enough as not to leave traces since the moment they change the credentials, the user will be alerted and could wrest back the control.

[BITCOIN4X]

I dont think users who have a lot of experience on forums will easily trust someone here. Many scenarios are used by scammers only to seek the benefits of their victims and it is very likely that they will target beginners or users with little experience to be victims.

Some hackers don't even change the password or email. They will use your account without you noticing any change in the login credentials.

Has this ever happened to higher ranking members ? This really surprised me.

The best method is perhaps proof of identity through a signed message from an old staked bitcoin address

Maybe this is the best solution to do. Proving the ownership of an account with a previously signed bitcoin address is what I usually see on loan board and recovery of hacked accounts.

[Upgrade00]

If I'm not going to make my telegram public, how will I receive the PM from unknown people who is looking for the service which I'm offering?

I included it in the OP. You can use the forum PM option as a means on contact from potential clients and if the conversation needs to be moved to another platform, you can then give then your other contact details, this way only a few individuals would have access to it and that is after they have already had contact with them, and can choose to trust them with the information.

Even if there is the possibility of scammers contacting you and posing as clients, I think it poses less risk than when the information is out in the public.

Afaik, telegram user name can't be clone unless if they will add a similar letter(s) and looks like your user name.

That's true, I just slightly updated the OP. I was lost for a better word to fit the description.

I dont think users who have a lot of experience on forums will easily trust someone here.

Those contacting someone for a job or service may not likely have lots of experience.

[JohnBitCo]

If I'm not going to make my telegram public, how will I receive the PM from unknown people who is looking for the service which I'm offering? Most people are comfort with telegram. I got one of my signature campaign management through my service thread where the owner PM me to telegram.
On the other hand, scammers will still try to be pretending because I remember someone was pretending as suchmoon while suchmoon has no telegram to my known.

If anyone has little knowledge of computer and internet, they could easily identify who is using a false identity. For sure, the scammers main purpose is to get the money from you so their only focus will be to send the money to me first and other such things.

[spike420211]

In my opinion, it is best to use the "multiple authentication" method.
For example, it is rather difficult to create a clone of an account on the forum if the cloned account is higher than the rank of newby, so you should send links to other contact data via private messages on the forum.
A person will know for sure that this is from you, and without fear will be able to contact you according to the data that you give him.

[KrisAlex18]

Well said mate, that is really important when doing some transactions online because even in this crisis time hackers and scammers will still here, they don't even care on what is happening now, they are only focused on how are they going to steal money and account. So to avoid that thing you should follow the advise of the OP, always keep contact details private because the hackers can use your personal information in some other things, that is why there are times that a person is being suspected without doing something. To make your account more secured you may use 2FA, it will prevent hackers to access your account.

In my opinion, it is best to use the "multiple authentication" method.
For example, it is rather difficult to create a clone of an account on the forum if the cloned account is higher than the rank of newby, so you should send links to other contact data via private messages on the forum.
A person will know for sure that this is from you, and without fear will be able to contact you according to the data that you give him.

Using multiple authentication is also a great idea to secure your account, it will make your account more secured because of that method. There are so many ways for us to secure our account, you may use this link, https://securitytoday.com/articles/2017/11/29/5-ways-to-protect-your-accounts-from-hackers.aspx

[tbct_mt2]

Good suggestions, just to give you one example: Be careful fake telegram id similarly to my forum userid. Also people need to check the account detail for signs of change password/email recently.

I think it is what you implied and I warned newbies about such free signals. They can read my guide and discover scammers by those free signals given by the forum.
Password changed / Woke up recently. Good signals to know potential scammers

[Krislaw]

Great suggestion, I'm going to delete my telegram contact from my forum details incase of future even if I don't have service thread yet. I don't know who is stalking on my profile right now.
And I also want to suggest that whoever is messaging the thread owner should verify by messaging back on the forum to verify well.

[LbtalkL]

You are right, Contact information is very sensitive and important. Like email, it is recommended to use another email for another transaction. Don't use emails that are linked into your social media, especially bitcointalk account. Hackers might send you a phishing link trying to steal your email or any accounts so to be safe don't ever share your main email to others.

[Wenbing]

Thank you for your thread .
But, what if I discovered that an account is cloned after doing my due diligence about the said account. What should do in this case?

[tbct_mt2]

Thank you for your thread .
But, what if I discovered that an account is cloned after doing my due diligence about the said account. What should do in this case?

It is simple. Nowadays, most of popular platforms have features for reports. You can follow each platform guideline to report scammers, clone accounts to customer support team. Some days later, your reports will be handled and if your targets are scammers, most of your reports will be handled so good. Just don't abuse report by making fake reports to destroy lives of good people.

Youtube, Telegram, Discord, Facebook, Twitter, and the forum, you can report scammers but it requires you decent time and patience.