The link has always been important part The Twitter ecosystem. But lately, links on X are taking people to a different website than the one they clicked on. A verified account on X recently posted a link to a legitimate Forbes article that directed users to a Telegram account promoting a cryptocurrency scam.
This example was captured by security researchers Will Dorman This week, a link preview for “Forbes.com” was shown. However, when you click on the link, it takes you to “Crypto with Harry,” a Telegram account that promotes how it helps users make “maximum profits.”In Dormann’s opinion, the scam is an X ad from a verified account, and the post is still alive today Viewed approximately 1.1 million times.
X reportedly failed to show users the direct destination to which the link would be sent Computer beeps. Scammers can embed multiple destinations into their links and design them so that bots and automated accounts will skip the “encrypted link” and go directly to the Forbes article. However, actual users are being sent to crypto scams.
Unfortunately, X is previewing the final destination, which fools the user. If you’re on a desktop, you can hover over the link and your browser may get a better preview of what you’re about to click. If you’re on a mobile phone, there’s no real way to check if a link on X is legitimate.
Gizmodo found another example of deceptive links on the platform from August 2023. this tweetWith approximately 97,000 views, the “youtube.com” link is shown and a preview of the discussion between Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey and Kathy Wood is shown. The actual link points to “dissertasting.com” and the previewed video is actually just a deepfake video.
Elon Musk has a complicated relationship with links.October, Musk Remove title from news link Make the platform look “cleaner” on Twitter.he add them back Not long ago. X.t.co’s link shortening service also came under scrutiny Allegedly limiting traffic Visit a website Musk doesn’t like.
Scams in the form of advertising can be problematic for a number of reasons. For one, it makes money from users in a deceptive way. In this case, one expects to read a Forbes article. Second, it raises a question about how ads are reviewed on X.Apple, Disney and other advertisers Recently escaped from the platform When their ads appear next to hate speech.
This is the latest example of X’s very weak content moderation on the platform. Users should reasonably expect that a verified account has accurate information, or at least is not a complete scam. However, X has proven time and time again that this is no longer the case.