Update: A fake message about my diet app got me to lock down my account.

I got a text saying my meal planner account was hacked and to click a link to fix it. Instead of clicking, I opened the app itself and saw no issues, so I knew it was a scam. I added two-factor authentication and now use a password manager for all my health apps. How do you handle sketchy messages about your online accounts?

3 comments

3 Comments

lily_black444d ago

That smishing stuff is getting scary smart. Read about a wave of fake bank alerts that looked legit, but the links went to copycat login pages. Always go straight to the official website or app like you did, never trust the link in the message. My rule is if it creates any panic, it's probably a trap.

amyh213d ago

Exactly! They're literally banking on that panic button in our brains. I saw one that spoofed the actual bank's sender name perfectly, so it showed up looking 100% real in your texts. That split second of "oh no my account is locked" is ALL they need. You gotta train yourself to see urgent money messages as a big red flag first, fact second. Open your real banking app on your own every single time, never from the link.

oscarj186h ago

Lily_black44 is right, those copycat pages are brutal so I always google the real site myself.