Twitter has been the vector for a flood of work-from-home scam spams this week, as followers of hacked accounts found dozens of copies of the “I snagged $217 in just a few hours online. learned how to do it from {link to scam}” type of spam coming at them via direct message. The link goes to a faked NBC article that touts “How did this stay at home mom make $13900+/Month.. We Investigate..” and that cleverly makes note of the geographic location (geolocation) of your IP address and customizes the article to make it seem as if the single mom is from your own town.
Other variations include (all of these are actual examples):
I worked towards $193 in a couple hours on the web. learned how to do it at – x.co/YDAY
I made $217 in a few spare hours online. bagged it easily at – x.co/YDAb
I bagged $385 in a few short hours on the web. gained it at – x.co/YDAo
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I just learned how to net $360 in a few spare minutes on the web. acquired it at – x.co/YDAa
I learned how to earn $256 in about a day and a half on the web. worked towards it from – x.co/YDAX
I wrangled $218 in a day or so on the web. worked towards it from – x.co/YDAv
I made $170 in a few short hours on the web. earned it easily at – x.co/YDAc
I just scored $343 in about a day or two online. netted it on – x.co/YDAp
I just brought in $296 in just about two days on the web. made the money from – x.co/YDAq
I snagged $217 in just a few hours online. learned how to do it from – x.co/YDB8
I snagged $217 in just a few hours online. learned how to do it from – x.co/YDB8
I bagged $221 in a few hours on the web. gained it from – x.co/YDAq
I brought in $290 in a few short hours on the web. acquired it at – x.co/YDBA
I secured $233 in a couple hours on the web. worked towards it at – x.co/YDAv
I figured out how to earn $234 in about a day or two online. snagged it at – x.co/YDAa
I collected $345 in a few hours online. made it at – x.co/YDAX
I just brought in $332 in a day or so online. earned it easily at – x.co/YDAY
I really just earned $229 in just a few minutes on the web. scored it at – x.co/YDBD
I got $227 in about a day or two on the web. earned the money at – x.co/YDAv
I just wrangled $203 in just a few minutes on the web. collected it easily from – x.co/YDBC
I racked up $246 in about a day or two on the web. earned it from – x.co/YDAa
I got $312 in just about a day on the web. made the money from – x.co/YDBC
I snagged $205 in a day or so online. collected it at – x.co/YDAm
Inbox view
This is what visitors from the Denver area see (based on their Denver-located IP address):
While this is what visitors from the Naperville, Illinois area see based on their Naperville-located IP address:
So what should you do if you start getting message like this?
Well, first and foremost, don’t fall for them.
Then, if you know the person through whose Twitter account they are being sent, let that person know (through a channel other than Twitter).
If you don’t know them well enough to otherwise contact them, go ahead and hit the “Report spam” link on their Twitter home page.
The Internet Patrol is completely free, and reader-supported. Your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP.
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