Tim 🎮

⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. Mastodon does not "temporarily restrict your visibility" - that is simply not a thing here.

If you see a DM or post to that effect begging you to click a link to restore anything, do not click it - report it instead.

Apr 14 at 2:54amWeb
Show threadTim 🎮2d ago
The people who run scams like this ought to be hunted for sport and very slowly eaten by carnivorous giraffes
Show threadTim 🎮2d ago
Probably the one kind of post I'm not mildly bothered by trending bots latching onto and boosting.
Show threadFace Thumb2d ago
@timixretroplays Post with "apple" or "ai" hashtags and like 5 bots will automatically boost it.
Show threadWintergreen2d ago

@timixretroplays

That's 2 scam bots reported this hour on Mastodon.cloud.

Show threadChris Alemany2d ago
@timixretroplays @socialmedia can someone please end the tyranny of the “open registration” instances on Mastodon? The amount of spam generated is unacceptable.
Show threadTim 🎮1d ago
@chris @socialmedia I suspect as Mastodon gains more and more users over time and the attack surface for stuff like this continues to expand, we'll start to see servers get pickier about federation and start to shy away from the bigger, wilder-west servers.
Show threadChris Alemany1d ago
@timixretroplays @socialmedia agreed!
Show threadSuper Ratboy 642d ago
@timixretroplays
Got hit twice tonight.
Block. Block.
Easy.
Show threadSheryl Abbott2d ago
@timixretroplays I received an email the other day warning me a new IP address had accessed my account 😏 Yeah, nah.
Show threadEvelyn Octavia1d ago
@timixretroplays scamming the already tech savvy people? Good luck with that.
Show threadJay1d ago
@EvelynOctavia @timixretroplays Everyone can be scammed. It might be harder to scam some people, but nobody is immune. Also, you don't have to be particularly 'tech savvy' to be on Mastodon; it's not like it's hard to make an account, nor do we want to be. The best way to deal with scammers is: report >> block >> move on.
Show threadEvelyn Octavia1d ago
@r3spawndbae @timixretroplays yea, that assumption came from me thinking for people to sign up for mastodon, they'll get up and study what the fediverse is and how it differs from centralized social platforms. This is windows vs. Linux all over again. 
Show threadTim 🎮1d ago

@r3spawndbae @EvelynOctavia everyone laughs at the scams we spot easily and wonders how people get tricked by such obvious stuff.

The stuff those people get tripped up by is made harder to spot by the assumption that they'll see it coming.

Show threadDiego Martínez (Kaeza) 🇺🇾10h ago

@timixretroplays @r3spawndbae @EvelynOctavia

When I got my current phone, I went to install the usual apps.

After installing FB Messenger and logging in (with email and password), I noticed the interface being a bit different from what I had a few days before, then noticed the icon was kinda odd looking.

I decided to look at the app info on GPlay, and realized I had not installed the official app. I don't recall the specific developer name shown, but it was kinda official looking.

Show threadDiego Martínez (Kaeza) 🇺🇾10h ago

@timixretroplays @r3spawndbae @EvelynOctavia

Somehow, a (very probably scam) app got into the top of search results, and I inadvertently installed it, and gave it my login information.

I managed to login via official means, and change the password. Thankfully, I never ever added any kind of payment information like credit cards or such, and I don't think they could get anything useful from the account, or send messages on my behalf.

Show threadDiego Martínez (Kaeza) 🇺🇾10h ago

@timixretroplays @r3spawndbae @EvelynOctavia

I consider myself quite tech savvy, but you can fall for it if distracted and trusting enough.

Show threadJay2h ago

@diegomartinez @timixretroplays @EvelynOctavia This kind of thing catches out a lot of people: even those who are usually careful or think they'd never fall for a scam. At the end of the day, scams only exist because they work often enough to be worth it.

No one is infallible.

Which is why it’s risky to assume any particular group or person is immune.

Show threadBunnyInAHat1d ago
@timixretroplays Way to ruin an honest hustle. <_<