Scam alert! Popular mobile messaging app LINE has been the target of hackers in recent times. Hackers typically pose as the user of the compromised account, then initiate chats with the available contacts. The 33 cases reported as of last month (October) cited the same tactic: scammers would request for iTunes gift cards from a convenience story, then send them a picture of the serial numbers. A man was even scammed of over $2000 worth of gift cards. More details of the report here.
How to know you’re hacked
Try logging out of your LINE account and logging back in. You might be in trouble if this warning pops up:
“You cannot use this account. Since this account has been logged on in a different location, all information saved in this terminal will be deleted.”
What you should do next
Inform LINE immediately by filling up this form and have the administrators lock your account. File a police report if you lost money to the scam.
Be alert
Be on the alert whenever someone approaches you for any transaction. Since the scammer might be posing as a close friend, you should also verify the person’s identity, possibly by asking private questions that are only known between both parties or via other communication methods.
Mixing your passwords
A survey conducted by Instant Checkmate in 2013 revealed that 4% of the people surveyed used the word “password” as their password. Additionally, 73% of those surveyed use the same password for multiple sites and 33% use the same password for every site. It is, evidently, common practice, albeit a dangerous one. Here are the dos and don’ts of creating a safe and secure password, courtesy of Instant Checkmate.
