Twitter: Careful of New Phishing Attempts in DMs

Twitter is reporting new phishing attacks in direct messages today and it is urging users to be careful where they are clicking or logging in.

The newest phishing message may say, “You on here,” and provide a link.

On Friday, Twitter reminded users on its safety page not to download or open attachments.

That warning came after Facebook issued its own advisory on emails asking recipients to open an attachment to receive a new, reset password. Facebook says to delete such emails and warn friends of the scam.

Twitter has rolled out a new shortened URL for direct messages in hopes of combating the renewed waves of phishing or hacking attempts. The new “twt.tl” URLs can help Twitter redirect messages and warn users.

But both social media sites urge common sense among users. Delete any suspicious emails and if your account is compromised by a phishing attack, report it and change your password.

Phishing emails try convincing you to log in through a fake website page, or open a link to a malware source that can crack account usernames and passwords on your computer. The prevalence of social media sites is creating a goldmine for phishing strategies, Internet security experts say.