The media in this post is not displayed to visitors. To view it, please go to the original post.
There's a scammer spamming messages to people where they pretend to be a Pixelfed admin, asking people to "verify" their identity due to "unusual activity".
It is a scam, real admins never send messages like this. The link in the message is trying to trick people into giving out their personal details, don't click on it.
If you get a message like this, click ⋯ on the scam post and then select "report", then follow the instructions.
reshared this
🔻Amber🔻
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •As you advised, by not clicking any of their links, and I report them.
Thank you much for this great post.
Fedi.Tips
Unknown parent • • •@nlupo
There is a *sort of* verification, but it is entirely voluntary and it just confirms you run a particular website: fedi.tips/how-do-i-verify-my-a…
But yeah, there's nothing that involves giving out info about your personal identity.
How do I verify my account on Mastodon and the Fediverse? | Fedi.Tips – An Unofficial Guide to Mastodon and the Fediverse
FediTips (Fedi.Tips - An Unofficial Guide to Mastodon and the Fediverse)LabToast
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •Sensitive content
CNJ:> That alone is a massive red flag, generated "art" being unwelcome on fedi is like, an axiom.
CNJ:> Or maybe I just think this 'cause every time I find a sloppist I block them and their entire instance on the spot...
Fedi.Tips
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •p.s. Apparently the same scammer is also spamming people with messages claiming that they have won money in a "pixelfed giveaway". This other spam has an image with a QR code in it that leads to a scammy website.
There are no such giveaways on the Fediverse, no one has won any prizes.
( 🙏 Thank you to @blogamf for the warning about the fake giveaway. You can see their screenshots of both scams at indieweb.social/@blogamf/11707… )
African Music Forum (AMF) (@blogamf@indieweb.social)
African Music Forum (AMF) (Indieweb.Social)Rob
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •Koi
in reply to Rob • • •@brownphotographic @blogamf
"You've won a free crypto miner!!!! Lucky you!!!! :3"
Mary Starbuck
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •I forgot I got an Update to our terms of service email a couple of weeks ago.
I didn't open it.
Is that a fake thing?
Fedi.Tips
in reply to Mary Starbuck • • •@autoperipatetikos
If you're ever unsure about something like this, contact your admin directly and ask them if it's genuine.
You can see your server's admin contact details on your server's website's "About" page. For your server that's at neurodifferent.me/about
Every server's About page has the server's admin account listed, and the admin's public email address.
Neurodifferent Me
Mastodon hosted on neurodifferent.meBård H. (lvl 49 🇳🇴)
in reply to Mary Starbuck • • •@autoperipatetikos
Might be... But hard to say for sure without checking the actual email. (Metadata like From, potential dishonest links, etc.)
However, if an email from _any_ system require you click on a link, then I would simply assume it's fake until proven otherwise. Instead, go to the system manually to check for new messages.
Any important messages from the admin should be served _within_ Mastodon. If it isn't, then you should probably disregard that email.
Kevin Davy
in reply to Mary Starbuck • • •If it is the one I am thinking about, it's fine and above board.
Fedi.Tips
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •p.p.s. Here's a guide to avoiding scams on Mastodon and the wider Fediverse:
➡️ fedi.tips/how-to-avoid-scammer…
The guide gives examples of common scams, what to do about them, how to check if a message from an admin is real etc.
How to avoid scammers on Mastodon and the Fediverse | Fedi.Tips – An Unofficial Guide to Mastodon and the Fediverse
FediTips (Fedi.Tips - An Unofficial Guide to Mastodon and the Fediverse)Gurre Vildskägg
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •Laura
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •⛷️Writes like
🍜An LLM
Kaja
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •Sensitive content
And how often did you all click on the boost icon in the image to boost this post? I go first: three times. 🙈
@FediTips
Fedi.Tips
in reply to Kaja • • •@KaCi
Whoops! Sorry, I'll try and edit these screenshots more clearly in future posts 😳
Kaja
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •Sensitive content
Jigme Datse
in reply to Fedi.Tips • • •Fedi.Tips
in reply to Jigme Datse • • •They seem to reappear if there has been an item in the news about a government or corporation introducing ID requirements.
The scammers seem to be relying on people seeing these news items, and then confusing the scam with the real news.
Laws requiring IDs or credit cards to use social media are a massive gift to these kinds of scammers, it gives scammers a perfect cover story.
Plan-A̵̛͈̬̥̿͋̓͛̕
in reply to Fedi.Tips • — (0.0.0.0/ 0) •As they seem to only dare Mastodon I never saw one of these trash types near me at all. so I want to uncover them.
You protect their id to make it impossible for real sharks to punish them.
As such by deleteing their acount without further addo will make them just create a new one or multiple new ones .
Deleting the profile or account and posting warnings about it won't stop it, one has to really hunt them. In order to efficiently block them for further interaction.
Fedi.Tips
in reply to Plan-A̵̛͈̬̥̿͋̓͛̕ • • •I am not "protecting" their ID, I reported the account in the screenshot and it's now been suspended.
I cover up the account name because the scammers typically use lots of accounts for the same scam and I don't want people to be fooled by the different name.