Cyberbullying and Spambots on Social Networks

Social networks can bring a lot of fun and joy into our world. However the recent epidemic of public abuse on social networks is evident after a cyberbullying attack on a well known Australian media identity.

The enjoyment of sending a tweet on Twitter or viewing a friend's feed on Facebook or Google+ is losing its sheen with the most recent abuses of cyber crime and breaches of privacy.

Psychic Reading Social Network Caution:

In the psychic readings field, social network abuse is out of control.

This week my staff warned Twitter users they were being targeted by an unidentifiable site directing them back to click a link for a free personal clairvoyant or astrology reading. These attacks are commonly referred to as spambot attacks.

A machine automatically spat out tweets with psychic messages every 30 seconds. At time of writing, 24 hours later, the machine-generated tweets are still being produced every 30 seconds.

The machine automatically generates a different tweet and slightly changes the twitter profile name to avoid being detected by the spam section in Twitter.

One tweet-spam every 30 seconds for 24 hours equates to at least 172,800 of just this particular tweet-spam. It is therefore not hard to see why it is estimated that at least 40% of Twitter accounts are spam generated.

The security sections on social networks are unable to cope with the amount of spambot entries being updated on social media sites.


Reproduction of Vine's Twitter warning

The overseas networks behind these spambots are cunning and direct their messages to false accounts, so you or I believe they are a credible business. The false account then retweets the spambot message to its followers to attract unsuspecting readers to click the free psychic site.

My team suspected it was coming from Indonesia or an Asian country. However social network spambots can come from anywhere in the world. They are normally associated with criminal networks.

Every instance of the tweet-spams we tracked (above) contain a picture of a nice looking person who probably doesn't exist. The spam-generated Twitter accounts are rarely used, other than to reply to spambots to make them look legitimate when they attack the trend you follow.

The one we detected spammed the category of 'psychic reading' so no other tweets could be found. The false machine accounts of the overseas Twitter accounts then retweeted the messages to the people who followed them. It was easy for them to spread the spams like a virus through the network without Twitter stopping them. They might still be on Twitter directing messages to unsuspecting accounts now.

If you and I read their message we might be inclined to click the link back to their web business to check out the offer. Big mistake. They are waiting for the innocent unsuspecting Twitter or Facebook user to click the web address domain site.

Why do you need to be cautious clicking links that proposition you to book a psychic or zodiac reading?

When you click a link back to a psychic or astrology site offering a free psychic reading you are being directed back to criminal business sites. The same people who send email spam are now on the social networks waiting for you to give them your details. You might receive a token Ebook or Ecourse or even a small paragraphed reading - but you give them so much more than you realize when you click their site.

You share your personal information. This is the real reason they are offering FREE astrology and psychic readings. It is a trap.

Tip: No credible psychic or medium will contact you via email, on your Twitter, Google+ or Facebook account to proposition you to have a free psychic reading.

Direct Messages From Psychic Reading Sites

If you receive direct messages on your social networks telling you have won something for free immediately report them to the security section of Twitter and Facebook. If you click the site, it may place a virus on your computer, or attempt to get you to click an App to give them the right to access your Twitter account. This is called phishing. (click here to learn more about phishing)

Cyber bullying is out of control on social networks and so are psychic reading spambots. DON'T allow yourself to be bought on the FREE psychic stuff! It is not worth losing your personal security for the sake of a psychic reading.

You can still enjoy social networks and use them for the reason they were intended by avoiding one-on-one contact with psychic readers on your social networks.

Hint: Search any links on Google or Yahoo to see if it is a genuine site before clicking a reputable online psychic business site. A real psychic business will be easy to spot on the web, they have built their reputation over many years.

Here are some useful resources to read about this important subject:

How to remove spammers on your facebook page

Facebook reveals fake accounts set up to target users (hint: Forbes will bring an advert first, click on top right hand corner to read article)

Love and Light
Vine

Book a Reading

Australian & International Bookings
Secure PayPal, Credit Card or Debit Card