Serious Spam & Sophisticated Phishing - Anyone Else?

[cyaxrex]

Is anyone else getting deluged with the same Emirates and Dubai based freelance platform spam? i.e. What is obviously the same person using different accounts messages you and asks you to see an image they have attached. This image pertains to a non-Fiverr freelance platform which the spammers want you to sign up at for $10.

Needless to say, I say no thank you and block the user.

Secondly, last night I fell victim to a very sophisticated phishing attempt.

A new user messaged me to ask if I could write 40 product descriptions. They also asked if they could pay with Bitcoin. I answerd that I could only manage 10 descriptions per week and that no, I could not accept Bitcoin. I also stated that I would need to know what these product descriptions were for.

The buyer replied with a link to what I didn’t realize was a Dark Web illicit drug store. Immediately, I told them that I couldn’t help. This buyer then said, “Oh, I thought this is what you do.” Then they sent me a link to what looked like a profile which I do have on another freelance platform. (I do not offer anything illicit on that platform. I offer copywriting and content writing and nothing else).

I have not checked on this platform for a long time. In this case, I stupidly clicked the link (after I had declined to work with this buyer) to try and see how they could have possibly thought I would write the kind of content they had asked for.

Stupidly, I then went to log into my profile on that site but couldn’t. I thought this was a bit strange but very stupidly, still went to reset my password. Then I went to login but still couldn’t. And then came the huge OMG WHAT HAVE I JUST FELL FOR?

In short, the link the buyer had sent me looked identical to my real profile on the other platform. However, it actually redirected me to a clone of this site which was obviously created to phish for passwords.

Thankfully, I do not use the same password across any platforms I use. However, quicky I had to change my password for the (real) site in question and go over all my online security.

So… If any buyer arrives in your inbox saying they have found you on another site and sends you a link, do not follow it! In fact, be extra vigilant with any links. I never thought I would fall for a phishing attempt. the differences in the url were so subtle, though, that it took me a quite a few minutes to see them.

Be careful out there!

[raff_el]

Thanks for this information. Really valuable. Happy to know you’ve already taken all the necessary security actions.

[ydrawing]

Is anyone else getting deluged with the same Emirates and Dubai based freelance platform spam? i.e. What is obviously the same person using different accounts messages you and asks you to see an image they have attached. This image pertains to a non-Fiverr freelance platform which the spammers want you to sign up at for $10.

Needless to say, I say no thank you and block the user.

Secondly, last night I fell victim to a very sophisticated phishing attempt.

A new user messaged me to ask if I could write 40 product descriptions. They also asked if they could pay with Bitcoin. I answerd that I could only manage 10 descriptions per week and that no, I could not accept Bitcoin. I also stated that I would need to know what these product descriptions were for.

The buyer replied with a link to what I didn’t realize was a Dark Web illicit drug store. Immediately, I told them that I couldn’t help. This buyer then said, “Oh, I thought this is what you do.” Then they sent me a link to what looked like a profile which I do have on another freelance platform. (I do not offer anything illicit on that platform. I offer copywriting and content writing and nothing else).

I have not checked on this platform for a long time. In this case, I stupidly clicked the link (after I had declined to work with this buyer) to try and see how they could have possibly thought I would write the kind of content they had asked for.

Stupidly, I then went to log into my profile on that site but couldn’t. I thought this was a bit strange but very stupidly, still went to reset my password. Then I went to login but still couldn’t. And then came the huge OMG WHAT HAVE I JUST FELL FOR?

In short, the link the buyer had sent me looked identical to my real profile on the other platform. However, it actually redirected me to a clone of this site which was obviously created to phish for passwords.

Thankfully, I do not use the same password across any platforms I use. However, quicky I had to change my password for the (real) site in question and go over all my online security.

So… If any buyer arrives in your inbox saying they have found you on another site and sends you a link, do not follow it! In fact, be extra vigilant with any links. I never thought I would fall for a phishing attempt. the differences in the url were so subtle, though, that it took me a quite a few minutes to see them.

Be careful out there!

Is anyone else getting deluged with the same Emirates and Dubai based freelance platform spam? i.e. What is obviously the same person using different accounts messages you and asks you to see an image they have attached. This image pertains to a non-Fiverr freelance platform which the spammers want you to sign up at for $10.

Yes, I got a few messages, but I forgot the platform. It seems to be a Fiverr type of platform. While browsing I saw that there almost 0 activity on the platform.

[esthernyambura]

Thanks for the heads up

[cyaxrex]

Thanks for the heads up

You’re welcome! Just remember that if you do get spam or suspicious messages, to still respond politely. Buyers can still report us, after all.

[misscrystal]

You’re welcome! Just remember that if you do get spam or suspicious messages, to still respond politely. Buyers can still report us, after all.

I’ve been getting all kinds of suspicious messages in the past month. Most have new profiles.

[rihat76]

Thanks for informing us.
I really appreciate