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Phishing is often a frightening specter in the modern era. This scam traps victims who are complacent to click on something that turns out to be a link that can break into personal data.
Never just click a link while opening Facebook Messenger, that's advice you should hold on to. But what does phishing usually look like? What is an example of phishing?
This scam is usually carried out by accounts that seem like we know, close friends or maybe relatives. Then, the message is written in a casual tone of 'Look at this' or 'Look what I found'.
Instead of containing funny photos of cute animals or other interesting photos, phishing is followed by a link. After clicking the link, the user will be directed to re-login to Facebook -- which is actually not a real Facebook but a website designed to be as close to Facebook as possible so that it can steal data or take over accounts.
Launching IFL Science, this is just one of the many scams that are rife in recent times, and often people don't realize they have been victims. What went viral was a series of scams trying to get people to invest in crypto on Instagram.
Scams these days are harder to spot, so be extra vigilant when finding suspicious links. Be careful if the message is unusual, unexpected or if the grammar is not as it should be. Ask about the link, make sure it's a real profile, and contact the person via another method if you think their profile has been compromised.