Not all are lost, as some are just wandering. The 1st time I sent some XLM to the Kraken exchange , I used a memo that I generated. The instructions said to " make sure the transfer included a memo". The instructions did not include the full text of " include a memo generated by the Kraken exchange." Boy was I pissed when my 1000 each XLM tokens disappeared.
After some terse emails to Kraken, I found out you have to go to discord, and GitHub, and Kraken support, and Twitter to get all the info you really need to work with Kraken. ( but, they do have insurance on hacked coins, just not on phishing attempts where you give up your keys. Make a note to read the fine print on your exchange's insurance coverage. It may suprise you. Hackers I have interviewed tell me 99% of the social media accounts are compromised through phishing. A scam where the victim unknowingly gives their login credentials.
As a normal and above average person, you may think; I will not click on a link to a phishing scam. Know this. Bad actors use the same SEO engines to design advertisements that make you want to investigate or they prey on your greed and FOMO. This inturn leads you down a funnel that drives your clicks to a website full of malware, ransome ware, and data theft.
Let's take a short visit back to the password thing. If you are using a stupid password such as your birthday, your home address, or your dogs name, then bypass this next bit of advice. There is not much help for you. But if you are using some real passwords and they are not like the common lazy mistakes above, then you should still change them now and then. If you think your passwords are secure because they are long and difficult; then here is a link to a story on how that may not work out for you. Many hacks are successful but the info is held for months before a major attack.
Just go ahead, and change your passwords now. Save some headache , unless you want to look at these files and see if your passwords have been used or stored somewhere besides your computer. ( As in stolen and sold )
Oh, by the way. My anti-virus will allow me to type in my passwords and see if they have been hacked. Also, my VPN will allow me to look for stolen passwords.
As you shop for a good VPN, remember; you usually get what you pay for. If something is free, then it is worth exactly what you paid for it. NOTHING. And look for a VPN that does not keep log reports on your usage. If a court asks a company for usage reports, they can not give them something that does not exist.
A good data/keyboard logger malware will steal all your keystrokes as you type. This log of keystrokes can then be duplicated just as if you were at the keyboard. A VPN will hide your traffic, but good anti-virus will find the keyboard logger first.
Play stupid Games
Win Stupid Prizes
Social Media. It is not free. Guess who pays for this fun stuff?
When you are asked for your favorite color, or the 1st car you drove, or the name of the street you grew up on; do you really know what the game is here?
It really is not a game. This is serious business. Crackbook/Facebook is gathering info on you that you forgot to give them on your personal information page when you set it up, like your birthday and social security # or a friend they can call if you get locked out of your account.
A lot of this is info you use for your passwords, or your favorite uncles name ( your mothers maiden name). Or do they sound like the answers you use for your online banking login. Need I say more? Your favorite color. Your high school. Your dogs name.
The games on CrackFace may be fun, but you should really count the cost of giving up your personal information to the world. They already have a detailed profile. Don’t give them more. Just for fun, use a different birthday on every social media page. It may not help, but you don't have to celebrate with the whole world every year as you age.
Some say I was born in 1905.
So, we have touched on passwords, VPN,s and now I would like to address the biggest loser. The biggest losers give away their passwords and seed phrases to companies that only exist to steal your coins or information. They ask you to give them bank account #'s and crypto account #'s and you give it to them. Why do you continue to do this? It it greed or FOMO? Do you not understand the world on the other side of your computer screen is not your friend. ( Even when they assure you to " Trust Me" )
Stop giving out your personal info ( Facebook games ) and your private keys. ( Coinbase counterfeit pages). Crypto exchanges and banks will never call you or email you to confirm your financial data. They won't . So quit falling for these phishing scams. QUIT.
7 Ways to Spot Phishing Email
Emails with Bad Grammar and Spelling Mistakes.
Emails with an Unfamiliar Greeting or Salutation.
Inconsistencies in Email Addresses, Links & Domain Names.
Suspicious Attachments.
Emails Requesting Login Credentials, Payment Information or Sensitive Data.
Too Good to Be True Emails.
Google Phishing Scams and spend a few minutes learning what they look like.
Double check the URL and the Email address on anything that would touch your assets. Know who is real, and who is phishing for information. It only takes a few queries or google searches to find out how to spot a fake site or a phishing email. Do this now if you have not done this before. Stop reading my post now, and go learn about phishing attempts and fake web pages. Please.
Or,
just email me and send me all your money and coins. I promise to watch over them closely. I promise. Trust me.
Next week, I want to add to the security story and how we secured information and data prior to the internet and the World Wide Web. See you there. Same channel, Same Station. Just a different time.
And remember the sign at the bar that states " Free beer Tomorrow" and then think on when your said you would change your password.
Here is a quick checklist that I will repeat as we move thru this security/crypto trip.
Use a dedicated computer for your financial dealings. ( I like Mac, but if you use a PC; keep doing those updates. Most of them are security patches.)
Use a good anti-virus program. I kinda like this one. (Sophos) Free is not free. Guess who pays in the long run?
Use a good VPN. This will hide your traffic from prying eyes. If you use a smartphone and travel, you are a big , big target for data theives.
Use 2FA login security. Don't use SMS ( phone texts ) SMS is no way as secure as the time stamped , coded 2FA. More on this later. (see Simm card swaps)
Use good, better , and best passwords. And no, superman has been taken already. Keep your password list air gapped. (off line) Do not take pictures of these.
Learn about Phishing attempts and what they look like. Please do this and watch for them everyday in every email.
Use a good email service. Google offers a lot of backstage security, and you can use 2FA to protect your gmail/Google account from hostile takeovers. Microsoft has authy. I have not used it.
Memorize this: Not your Keys; Not your Crypto
Sign out of your programs (especially Metamask) and turn off your computer when you leave the screen/keyboard.
Whitelist any outgoing crypto addresses. (ie, Coinbase pro) This is an added step to keep your crypto from leaving an exchange with out your knowledge.
Use a cold wallet as often as possible.
Start small and work up . Small trades until you are really familiar with a platform and its security. You will make some mistakes. Start small.$$
Don't brag online. Never talk trash or brag about how much money you invested. Keep a low profile and that makes you a much smaller target for phishing operators.
This list gets bigger. Visit us often and learn to be safe. Crypto offers no FDIC insurace and no returns if someone gets your data. Your are the security and the bank.
FNL content including, but not limited to, articles, podcasts, videos, live streams, and websites are intended for informational purposes and should NOT be considered financial, investment, tax, legal, nor trading advice. Cryptocurrency, futures, foreign currency and options trading contains substantial risk and is not for every investor. An investor could potentially lose all or more than the initial investment. Risk capital is money that can be lost without jeopardizing one’s financial security or lifestyle. Only risk capital should be used for trading and only those with sufficient risk capital should consider trading. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. https://futuresnetworks.live/risk_disclaimer