SCAM ALERT: Twitter e-mail scams

SCAM ALERT: Twitter e-mail scams (Added: March 17, 2009)

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By Nate Stewart
Published: March 17, 2009

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There are all types of computer scams out there. Now the popular social networking website Twitter can be added to the list of websites that are effected by scammers.

Scammers who are using Twitter as bait are capitalizing on human reaction. Some Twitter users receive an e-mail from an account that "follows" a user with a link that is prefaced by the words "don't click".

This link takes users to a number of websites employing techniques called clickjacking or phishing where the site executes a command without the user's knowledge.

College of Charleston webmaster Jared Smith says that users shouldn't trust any site that involves banking or credit card information that does not have the security lock on the web browser. He advises users to "make sure it's somehwere you trust. If it looks shady or feels shady, it probably is shady."

This is not a new type of scam. Along with Twitter there are Facebook, Myspace, and e-mail scams that have been effected by phishing in the past.

Smith warns users to be cautious when using Twitter.