Before I go into the next lesson I've learned, let me share a bit.
This morning I woke up around 3:30 am. My mind was PLAGUED with anxiety. I kept hearing this incessant Voice saying that I needed to change passwords, needed to transfer some Hive out of my account, needed to update my printed file, etc. All security crypto stuff. For twenty minutes, I kept trying to shut the voices up and go BACK to sleep. I kept thinking "I'll do it as soon as I wake up!"
And I hadn't.
I didn't care. I wanted to sleep, and I certainly wasn't going to wake up and do it NOW.
or so I thought.
I finally opened my eyes, grabbed my phone, and started going through the many DMs in discord awaiting me. I opened @sofs-su DM first.
She had been hacked. She sat there in disbelief, seeing that money go from her wallet to another. All of it. All of her hard-earned Hive and HBD that she was planning to powerup for PUD tomorrow. Gone.
BEFORE I CONTINUE, EVERY DIME OF THIS POST PAYOUT IS GOING TO HER, TO HELP RECOVER WHAT SHE'S LOST (and yes, I'm self-voting to give her more.)
You might not know @sofs-su, or - you might! She's only been here for about a month. She is one of the people that we met through Uptrennd, and invited here after that platform died. She is an incredible writer, great engager, beautiful photographer, and a gentle soul. She makes HIVE brighter with her presence.
Go to @wwefun's wallet - and you'll see that he/she has been doing this to a lot of people since 2018. He/she works with (or has an alt account) @stepshotfoto where they drop comments telling people to come vote for their witness. Newbies get a LOT of spam comments, and they don't realize what phishing sites/messages look like. Sofs learned the hard way when she entered her active key into a popup. Within a short amount of time - the transaction occurred, leaving her with nothing.
As you know from my previous posts, this doesn't just happen with newbies. This happens with oldbies (like me) that should know better, but just get complacent. One mistake and it's all gone.
(EDIT - BEWARE OF THE @kpd-244 account also. @davedickeyyall just saw him in another comment section with the same slimy scam. Wish we knew their real names and faces so we could pull them into the light for all to see who they are.)
So part 1 of this lesson is check sites carefully.
Make SURE that you are on the right site with the EXACT spelling of a word. When you are using your higher powered keys (like active key) make CERTAIN that you are initiating that transaction from a site that you trust and know well.
Never ever use your master key to post! - DO NOT LOG IN WITH OR SAVE YOUR MASTER KEY/ PASSWORD/ OWNER KEY. Keep it offline and safe. Do NOT save it in autofillers!
Part 2 of this lesson is IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, RUN!
This is a huge problem. Thieves are just looking to take advantage of every possible opportunity. They do not care that they hurt you. They do not care that you have loss. They think it's your own fault and that you deserved it.
When you sense that someone is trying to lure you in - just run. Run away and tell others of anything suspicious.
Part 3 of this lesson is SHARE THEIR NAMES ON BLAST AND HELP OTHERS.
I immediately went to our discord and notified "everyone". Yep - super annoying to get that everyone notification - but when it's important, I'll do it in a second.
I know how it feels to lose everything that you've worked so hard to build. Doesn't matter if it's earnings from a day, a week, a year - its YOURS, and no one else has the right to it. You feel so sick after it's happened. Usually, the ONLY thing you get to do - is help others.
My hack was much too big for any human being to help me recover that. The FBI has not said a thing (I'm sure they get thousands of reports a day), and I've had to take a deep breath and move on. But Sofs has only been here for a month. And if you want? YOU CAN HELP and it will only cost you an upvote!
Not only that - but it will help spread the word about this scam, and could help a lot of newbies. (or oldbies that have become complacent!)
Photo by Mitchell Orr on Unsplash
Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
Posted Using LeoFinance Beta
Thank you @dreemsteem for trying to help out. I appreciate the fact that you not only gave sent 100 HIVE but you went out public and asked for support.
I seriously 'do not want any HIVES or HP", all I want is to nail the thieves who hacked my account so they will not do this to any unsuspecting newbie.
I know its my fault like someone here said in the comment, so I take responsibility for my ignorance and carelessness.
Please do not send funds or divert this payout to me.
I love you and appreciate all that you do for me. I am grateful but don't make me feel indebted to everyone. I am okay. Thank you so much🤗
Thank you for your generosity @dreemsteem and @davedickeyyall
You deserve every bit of love and support. This is not charity or anything, it's just to let you know that we are here - and you are important!!! You would want to do the same for any of your friends.
It's so sweet of you to say that, Nothing like a family to depend on, right? Thank you so much and hugs to you.
And hugs to you :) I really hope we can get these guys removed!!! How can I help you to fight them?
Hmm.. I guess @dreamsteem is working on it since we know where it went.. now I just want to leave this behind and move on. I hate wasting my effort on the past.. all we can do is make sure none of the others fall prey to such tactics.
Thank you so much for your concern and willingness to help. I appreciate this greatly.
I think most of us know all these three lessons but simply forget when the time comes to act on them. Or maybe the message looks so authentic and mesmerizing that does the trick. Sorry for her :(
Yes - they had a hivesigner screen pop up! It was really meant to deceive well.
ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh they make me sick!
So one has to be extra careful with these popups? But I will not be surprised if they post a comment with a link that leads to phishing designs.
exactly...
always initiate the transaction from the site that you trust.
when people drop things in comments - you have to know the person first. too many thieves all around just waiting to show their evil nature!
It's true... its just a momentary lapse of judgment - and even just curiosity!!!
and then boom - its over.
done.
Its awful - it feels so awful.
I hate that this keeps happening to so many people that we know. and it comes out of nowhere! I hate it!!!!
Oh nooooooo
That's nasty!! It happens every now and then and so many of us fall for it
I almost did in my early days too but lucky that I didn't lose any in that one
So sorry this happened to @sofs-su
its so nasty.
so unbelievably nasty.
How can people even be human and do that? Its just - disgusting on every level.
Thanks for your upvote my sweet sister. <3
-I feel so sad for what happened to Ma'am @sofs-su..but I know she is a fighter. I don't pity her..because she is strong. I pity those dark evil souls for the penalty that they will going to receive from God..that will surely going to happen soonest..the reason why every time I saw a new thing. I always going to your DM and ask you..and I don't open links or messages. I even ignored messages coming from the unknown..thanks a lot for always giving us alerts! Have a blessed day!🌷❤
#dreemer
I know - I love that you always come with screenshots and questions hehehehe
And you're right - she is a fighter :) and I pity the thieves too. They will not go unpunished!
thank you so much @davedickeyyall :)
That was so kind of you!!!!!!
and yes - i see that other comment of yours
I'll edit my post to add let that evil be known too!
@dreemsteem here's another one you can put on blast.
Oh no! This is disheartening! The scammer thought to use the hard fork as another opportunity to prey on newbies and steal their hard earned money.
Thanks for doing this for Sofs, ma'am. You have my vote already.
Thanks for also sharing these lessons for everyone to learn. Anyone can fall prey to these hacks, newbie or oldbie.
Anyone can.
Absolutely anyone. When people think they can't??? just wait. their sad turn is coming.
Thank you so much for voting :) and sharing.
Just making more people aware about the slimy scams is worth it all.
The three lessons are well noted. Thanks, ma'am.
I had no idea that it was Sofs that got hacked and I feel so sad that it happened in my post.
It wasn't your fault honey..
she just happened to see the comment on your post before it was muted - but that comment has been dropping EVERYWHERE today.
the thieves @wwefun and @stepshotfoto have been doing this since 2018 and thankfully - its being shown now!
And we will help Sofs!!
so don't you feel bad at all - it had nothing to do with you. The only reason why I tagged you in the room was because I didn't want YOU to click on it either!
love you honey!
I really don't understand how one is at peace after stealing another person's hard-earned income. I hope that those thieves get what they deserve in the end.
Thanks for always watching out for us, ma!
I always think the same thing Hillary! What kind of morally deficit mind is the person who just takes from another person - KNOWING that its not theirs - and just spends willy nilly!
but you know what?? I've seen these reddit things - where people are SO PROUD of all the things they steal!
they show it off in videos and talk about their score
what in the world?!?!?!?!?! honestly!!! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE!!!! I wonder if their parents are shamed???
Lord! It's really a crazy world we live in.
So sad to see, how hours of hard work can dissapear in split seconds.
Thanks for the advice, I will be much more careful.
Crazy thieves everywhere. I would never understand how people find joy in hurting other people. Never would I understand this!
Thank you for your kind heart ma'am.
right???
I guess we can be glad that we dont' understand this mindset!!! Who wants to? right??
ughhh but yes - all we can do is keep our things VERY safe - and very private and keep a watch out for one another!!!
Wow. I feel heartburn to hear that @sofs-su is in this picture. Newbies get a lot support from different communities, they also get visited by scammers. This morning, I got a commenter on one of my post saying I had won 300 hive. In my mind, a thought came knocking,youu didn't engage in any contest or task that would warrant such heavy reward, so I skipped the trap. A trap it was. A few minutes later, @dreemsteem came up with a public announcement on our discourse channel that one of us had been scammed.
And now,another industrious fellow is losing all her hard earned tokens to greedy insatiable scammers.
Let's watch it. Not all that glitter is gold. Not all.
That was the same exact comment @mrenglish - the same one - its been dropping everywhere and now is a confirmed scam
but of course we knew that immediately after hearing what happened to Sofs :(
I'm so sad. But we can help spread the word and take is another lesson to beware of these greedy evil ones.
Congratulations @dreemsteem! You received a personal badge!
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
Check out the last post from @hivebuzz: