Hi Friends!
The topic of avoiding phishing scams is really important here in the crypto space. I think most of us know to avoid clicking on sketchy links or opening attachments from emails we don't trust.
Scammers are constantly evolving their strategies and tactics though - and their phishing attempts are becoming more and more believable.
The "Ad" Section at the Top of a Google Search
Does the below image look familiar? Almost anytime you search for something in Google, the first few hits will be ads, and not real search results. I am using Binance as an example. If you search for Binance, the top hit is actually an ad. You can see in the section I circled below that it clearly says "AD" right next to the link.
Now, I'm not picking on Binance, because this does actually take you to the real Binance site - but how easy would it be for a scammer to pay for Google Ads to make a fake Binance site and put it as the top hit?
Many people click on that top link without realizing it is an add... or without understanding the potential security issues.
![E36EBCBC-226E-472C-80D7-F76A180EB28E.jpeg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmY5yUqhU6yakE7qqGuKbSBWidgXiVUes9q2pZ7zzz9rUa/E36EBCBC-226E-472C-80D7-F76A180EB28E.jpeg)
SEO vs. Google Ads
Why do scammers use this tactic? Because it is much easier for them to pay for google ads to artificially prop their website to the top of a google search instead of spending months building the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to organically get their site to the first page of Google.
Also, many people click on these links without thinking twice, and so it can be an effective strategy.
Always Check The Website Link Before Inputting Passwords
If you are someone who often clicks on the "AD" at the top - simply make it a habit to scroll down to the first real search result as this is more likely to be the legitimate website.
Even then, we should always be double checking the link in the bar to make sure it is correct. I always double check to make sure it says "Https" instead of "Http". The S stands for secure and sites that only list "http" are not secure and are likely not a good site to enter any kind of password.
A Simple Change to Stay More Secure
I hope you guys found this video helpful! It is such an easy change to make to help keep you and your information more protected. Even if the ad looks like the correct link - just make it a habit to not click on them.
If you guys have any questions, please let me know and I'll do my best to help! If you have any other tips and tricks for people to avoid phishing scams, feel free to shoot them below as well. Let’s learn from each other!
xo, Lea
![21D684CB-CA72-4207-9485-43D5D4994863.gif](https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmNiBWun2cXau4Go39DnFtBDGDKokCu4nDBx6qZS32kDKy/21D684CB-CA72-4207-9485-43D5D4994863.gif)
Equipment Used in this Vlog
In order to add an extra layer of transparancy and value to my vlog's, I will be adding a list of equipment used at the bottom of each one! If you ever have questions about the gear I use, or how I use it - please don't hesitate to ask.
Microphone – Apogee Professional Microphone for Iphone/Ipad/Mac
Pop Filter - Earamble Studio Microphone Pop Filter
Microphone Stand - Cowboy Studio Stand
Mic Stand Adapter - Apogee Adaptor
Camera – Iphone X
Camera Tripod – Amazon Basics Tripod
Smartphone Tripod Adaptor - KobraTech Tripod Adaptor
Lighting – LimoStudio 700W Softbox Lights
Video Editor – Imovie
Thumbnail Photo Editor – Snapseed and Pixelmater
▶️ DTube
▶️ IPFS
This is so annoying when it happens to clients fo mine when other sites bid on brand names to show their ads! I’ve been pestering Google for years on creating a manual ad disavow feature and flagging option within AdWords or Webmaster tools but they feel they pretty good at flagging down bad sites via their algos! Once the ads quality score hits a certain point it should be removed automatically but by that time scammers could have walked away with a handsome profit
What you can do and encourage your viewers to do is use a phishing plugin there are a few available le for free to install on your browser
Secondly you can submit the site to https://safebrowsing.google.com/safebrowsing/report_general/
Not sure how active this portal is but if enough people submit I’m sure we can get these sites sandboxed quicker!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thanks for this super helpful response!! Great tips in here to help people avoid phishing. The plug in sounds really helpful.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Soooo spot on!! One of the first things I learned when entering into the Crypto world was that I should never trust those Ads that Google engine shows as first options of the search. I type the url or the other option is to have it saved up in your bookmarks. Great vid.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Awesome to hear that you already knew that!! I hadn’t thought of it before someone educated me on the risk of these ads.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Enjoyed your blog well done, ✌️
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
This is a helpful word of advice. Those ads are definitely annoying. Perhaps DGoogle will be created soon so that we can enjoy ad-free search results.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
YES!! Haha that sounds awesome.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Great informative article. I do hope google verifies sponsored links that they put on as ads as not phishing websites. I do get a lot of phishing emails especially from banking institutions. You jus have to think clearly first before clicking any links.
Have a good day!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
This is really a very big problem. We can not eliminate scammers but we can be alert. Your advice is very valuable in present scenario where everything pertaining to our life has digitalized.
Hoping for a better and safe internet.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Agreed! Being alert and aware is about all we can do. 😊
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit