I've experienced a few phishing attempts recently, and they were shockingly convincing. The scam starts off innocently enough—a job offer for a writing or translation gig, paid in ETH, no less. It sounds like easy money, right? But here's where it gets dangerous.

These scammers are active on X (formerly Twitter), like many others, but they may have initially found me on Publish0x. Looking back, I realize I might have shared a bit too much about my portfolio, making me an easy target. They reached out with a seemingly legitimate opportunity, but it was all a setup.

Scammers like Ava (@deliaclaudette) and TechGeisha (@GeishaGoesTech) on X (who can use other names and handles) lure you in with the promise of legitimate work. They might even reference well-known projects like Apsiyon or Movement Labs to make their pitch sound credible. Once you’re hooked, they schedule a call to discuss the job details. But the link they send for the meeting? It’s a phishing link designed to steal your information.

Before I fell for it, I decided to double-check the invite link using ChatGPT. I simply asked whether the link looked like a legitimate Microsoft Teams URL. ChatGPT quickly flagged it as suspicious because it didn’t match the official Microsoft Teams format. This saved me from clicking on a potentially dangerous link and falling victim to the scam.

Here’s how you can protect yourself:

1. Verify the Source: Always double-check the email address or social media profile of the person contacting you. If something seems off, it probably is.

2. Examine the Link: Before clicking on any meeting link, hover over it to see where it’s really going. If it doesn’t match the official format for Microsoft Teams or another platform, steer clear.

3. Request a Secure Link: If you're unsure about a link, ask the sender to provide a different one or suggest using your own platform.

4. Trust Your Instincts: If something feels wrong, it’s okay to back out of the meeting or opportunity. Your safety comes first.

Don’t let these scammers fool you. Stay vigilant, verify everything, and protect your personal information at all costs. And when in doubt, don’t hesitate to use tools like ChatGPT to check the legitimacy of any link or offer that comes your way.

Note: You can hear more about what happened on YouTube - I speak in my native language, French, but you can activate subtitles with translation