Twitter is one of the most popular social networks in the world. Unsurprisingly, it is also a haven for cybercriminals and all kinds of scammers.
In order to successfully defend yourself against common Twitter scams, you first need to understand what they are, how they work, and why they’re dangerous.
1. Phishing Scams
No social media platform is immune to phishing, a type of cyberattack in which a threat actor pretends to be someone or something they are not. With Twitter, a scammer has almost limitless options to phish users. For instance, they might engage in email phishing, which is an attack that involves sending fraudulent messages to incite the target into putting in their credentials.
Here’s one example: in November 2022, shortly after taking control of Twitter, billionaire Elon Musk introduced Twitter Blue, a paid monthly subscription that adds a blue checkmark to a user’s account. As Bleeping Computer reported, scammers quickly took note of this initiative, launching an elaborate phishing attack that aimed to steal the usernames and passwords of users looking to verify their accounts.
Similar phishing campaigns have plagued Twitter since its inception, with cybercriminals coming up with increasingly inventive ways to obtain user credentials. But regardless of who is at the helm of Twitter, this won’t change, so the best thing you can do as a user is set up two-factor verification and carefully verify each email that claims to be from the social network.
2. Hacked Account Scams
Twitter’s blue checkmark has long been a badge of honor bestowed upon only the most prominent individuals, such as celebrities, politicians, and influencers. On the other hand, the social proof that comes along with having a blue check has always been sought after by cybercriminals. And in order to obtain one, they’ve frequently hacked verified accounts.
For example, in 2020, using a rather simple social engineering technique, a 17-year-old boy hacked the Twitter accounts belonging to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and then-presidential candidate Joe Biden. Per The Guardian, the teenager was later sentenced to three years in prison, but what he did shows just how easy it is for cybercriminals to hack Twitter accounts, including those that are verified.
The teenage boy hacked Biden and Gates’ accounts to ask for a Bitcoin payment, and it’s safe to assume that many people fell for his scam. But this was not an isolated case: breaches happen way too frequently, and it is typically ordinary users who pay the price. This is why it is important to remember that you should never blindly trust a Twitter account—even if it appears like your favorite celebrity is actually tweeting, make sure you double-check whether their message is legitimate before doing anything.
3. Verification Scams
Because everyone wants a blue checkmark, cybercriminals are coming up with increasingly creative ways to scam people. Whether you’re using Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, you’ve probably been messaged by a person claiming they could verify your account in no time.
In reality, there are only two ways you can have a verified Twitter account. One is a hanger-on from the previous method, i.e. submitting an official verification request via the platform. To have got the blue badge, you had to have fulfill various criteria. Crucially, you needed to prove that you’re a “notable” individual working in media, politics, and such. This no longer works, but those who had a verified account from the past might still enjoy the blue tick icon.
Now, if you still want a blue checkmark, you can sign up to Twitter Blue—there is no other way to receive that little checkmark.
And if you encounter a scammer offering to verify your account, make sure you report them to Twitter. To do this, visit Twitter’s help center and fill out the appropriate form.
4. Crypto Scams
Scams are all too common in the crypto space, and many are carried out via Twitter. If you follow cryptocurrency-related accounts, or if you post about crypto from time to time, you have most likely come across one.
There are different types of Twitter crypto scams, some blatantly obvious, and others rather complex. One thing scammers do is impersonate a prominent digital currency influencer or analyst, and then post misleading tweets, or even reach out to targets via direct message. Their tweets can range from promoting useless cryptocurrencies that are guaranteed to lose value, to pushing fake airdrops and shady services.
Fake crypto giveaways are another scammer favorite. This type of hoax revolves around convincing the target that they will get a large reward as long as they deposit a small amount of cryptocurrency to cover a “fee” or something similar. Of course, if you make the mistake of depositing the money, the scammer will just take your funds and move on to the next victim.
To stay safe from crypto-related scams on Twitter, make sure you carefully vet any information about a particular asset, and only trade on safe cryptocurrency exchanges.
5. Bot Scams
As you may already know, social networks are rife with bots, or computer programs that simulate human behavior. Twitter is no exception. In fact, a 2022 study from the web analytics company Similarweb found that five percent of Twitter users are bots, and established that they create between 21 and 29 percent of content on the network.
Bots are not inherently malicious, but scammers often use them to spread false and misleading information, incite targets to click malicious links, deploy malware, or otherwise harm the user in some way. On Twitter, bots sometimes operate in networks, retweeting and liking posts in order to reach a wider audience.
Some Twitter bots are difficult to spot and seem like regular accounts at first glance, so you should always closely inspect every account that seems suspicious, especially if it spams links in replies to other tweets or sends direct messages. If you suspect an account that is interacting with you is a malicious bot, block or mute it, and then report it to Twitter.
Protect Your Twitter Account
Twitter can be a great source of information and entertainment, but it is far from perfect when it comes to privacy and security.
With that being said, there are things you can do to protect your account. This includes using a strong password, setting up two-factor authentication, managing third-party app permissions, and more.
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