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I felt the need to make this after seeing quite a few posts here complaining about being scammed (usually by porn bots…). What are my qualifications? I’ve had unrestricted access to the internet since I was six years old, and I’m in the age group that has spent the majority of their lives on the internet. So, here’s a quick gen z’s guide to how to not get scammed, phished, or otherwise taken advantage of!
Sketchy Links in General
As a general rule, never click links that a) are coming from someone you don’t know, b) lead somewhere you don’t know, or c) are shortened. All of those can easily lead you to unsafe places on the internet; usually places laden in malware.
Those weird ads on news sites that have those bright blue hyperlinks? Avoid ‘em like the plague.
DMs of All Sorts
Don’t automatically believe that the people (if there even are any) behind accounts that message you are really who they say they are. Especially on social media of all forms, people will often pretend to be someone else in order to extort you for money. Or, they’ll try to hook you into a pyramid scheme (especially prevalent on Facebook).
Do not engage sexually with those who message you out of the blue, even if they start it. I feel this should really be common sense; those sorts of messages can very easily be used against you, or that ‘person’ could be a bot trying to get you to spend money on them. In general, just don’t– if you wanna sext with someone, go on a fucking dating app (one that’s actually reputable).
Pop-ups on Websites
Y’know those “So-in-so is hot and ready to message” notifications on sketchy sites (usually piracy ones, which is why I’m so familiar with them)? Those will give you malware or send you to extremely unsavory places. If you are so inclined to spend money on a hot woman, I direct you to pay a model on OnlyFans– at least then you’ll get something out of it other than a fucked up device.
Other pop-ups, be they ads or something else, should also be avoided. I would like to note, on some sites, the “close ad” or “dismiss notification” button will still send you wherever the pop-up would send you otherwise, so try to just ignore them, rather than close them.
Ads on Websites
Especially on legit sites where you are trying to download something, be on the lookout for giant ads saying “DOWNLOAD HERE”. That is most assuredly not going to download the thing you were intending to, so be sure not to click them by mistake.
Honestly, just don’t click any ads on websites. If there’s something you are interested in, type the name of it into your favored search engine.
Responses to Posts
Returning to social media, most links posted in response to whatever you posted are pretty bad news. Really, use discretion when clicking anything. For the suggestive responses, refer to the Pop-up and DM sections. No random stranger wants your dick.
Phone Calls and Voicemails
If you don’t have a job that requires you to answer the phone, just don’t pick up if you’re called by an unfamiliar number. If you do, check the location first to see if it’s from an expected place. If it’s important, they’ll leave a voicemail.
On to sussing out sketchy voicemails– if they get your name wrong, it’s usually a scam. If they say you’re getting sued, it’s usually a scam. If they say there’s a warrant out for your arrest, your car is getting recalled, or they’re a relative you don’t recognize the voice of, it’s a scam. If it’s a machine voice, it’s usually a scam.
Emails
Do not clink links from any email you are unsure of the source of. Official correspondence from your bank? Safe. Two-step verification from a site you just signed up on? Safe. Random email saying they can make you rich? Not safe. Most email platforms are pretty good at putting written warnings on that type of thing, but using a brain cell or two never hurts.
TLDR
Don’t fucking click random links. That ‘hot girl’ messaging you isn’t real; block and don’t respond. Wonky pop-ups? Don’t even think about clicking them! Don’t put any value in unknown or unfamiliar numbers– don’t even answer the phone!
Sketchy Links in General
As a general rule, never click links that a) are coming from someone you don’t know, b) lead somewhere you don’t know, or c) are shortened. All of those can easily lead you to unsafe places on the internet; usually places laden in malware.
Those weird ads on news sites that have those bright blue hyperlinks? Avoid ‘em like the plague.
DMs of All Sorts
Don’t automatically believe that the people (if there even are any) behind accounts that message you are really who they say they are. Especially on social media of all forms, people will often pretend to be someone else in order to extort you for money. Or, they’ll try to hook you into a pyramid scheme (especially prevalent on Facebook).
Do not engage sexually with those who message you out of the blue, even if they start it. I feel this should really be common sense; those sorts of messages can very easily be used against you, or that ‘person’ could be a bot trying to get you to spend money on them. In general, just don’t– if you wanna sext with someone, go on a fucking dating app (one that’s actually reputable).
Pop-ups on Websites
Y’know those “So-in-so is hot and ready to message” notifications on sketchy sites (usually piracy ones, which is why I’m so familiar with them)? Those will give you malware or send you to extremely unsavory places. If you are so inclined to spend money on a hot woman, I direct you to pay a model on OnlyFans– at least then you’ll get something out of it other than a fucked up device.
Other pop-ups, be they ads or something else, should also be avoided. I would like to note, on some sites, the “close ad” or “dismiss notification” button will still send you wherever the pop-up would send you otherwise, so try to just ignore them, rather than close them.
Ads on Websites
Especially on legit sites where you are trying to download something, be on the lookout for giant ads saying “DOWNLOAD HERE”. That is most assuredly not going to download the thing you were intending to, so be sure not to click them by mistake.
Honestly, just don’t click any ads on websites. If there’s something you are interested in, type the name of it into your favored search engine.
Responses to Posts
Returning to social media, most links posted in response to whatever you posted are pretty bad news. Really, use discretion when clicking anything. For the suggestive responses, refer to the Pop-up and DM sections. No random stranger wants your dick.
Phone Calls and Voicemails
If you don’t have a job that requires you to answer the phone, just don’t pick up if you’re called by an unfamiliar number. If you do, check the location first to see if it’s from an expected place. If it’s important, they’ll leave a voicemail.
On to sussing out sketchy voicemails– if they get your name wrong, it’s usually a scam. If they say you’re getting sued, it’s usually a scam. If they say there’s a warrant out for your arrest, your car is getting recalled, or they’re a relative you don’t recognize the voice of, it’s a scam. If it’s a machine voice, it’s usually a scam.
Emails
Do not clink links from any email you are unsure of the source of. Official correspondence from your bank? Safe. Two-step verification from a site you just signed up on? Safe. Random email saying they can make you rich? Not safe. Most email platforms are pretty good at putting written warnings on that type of thing, but using a brain cell or two never hurts.
TLDR
Don’t fucking click random links. That ‘hot girl’ messaging you isn’t real; block and don’t respond. Wonky pop-ups? Don’t even think about clicking them! Don’t put any value in unknown or unfamiliar numbers– don’t even answer the phone!
