<![CDATA[⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds.]]>⚠️ Heads up - there's a bot doing the rounds. Mastodon does not "temporarily restrict your visibility" - that is simply not a thing here.

If you see a DM or post to that effect begging you to click a link to restore anything, do not click it - report it instead.

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]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/15ed44e7-8718-4be5-8517-1b134c9d9af6/heads-up-there-s-a-mastodon-scam-bot-doing-the-rounds.RSS for NodeThu, 30 Apr 2026 18:51:10 GMTTue, 14 Apr 2026 02:54:05 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:42:25 GMT]]>@timixretroplays yup. I got that

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://famichiki.jp/users/insideoutsidemix/statuses/116416796800300242https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://famichiki.jp/users/insideoutsidemix/statuses/116416796800300242Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:42:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:48:16 GMT]]>@diegomartinez @timixretroplays @EvelynOctavia This kind of thing catches out a lot of people: even those who are usually careful or think they'd never fall for a scam. At the end of the day, scams only exist because they work often enough to be worth it.

No one is infallible.

Which is why it’s risky to assume any particular group or person is immune.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116161055473411472/statuses/116413280865843499https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116161055473411472/statuses/116413280865843499Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:48:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:40:44 GMT]]>@timixretroplays @r3spawndbae @EvelynOctavia

I consider myself quite tech savvy, but you can fall for it if distracted and trusting enough.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/diegomartinez/statuses/116411363777787855https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/diegomartinez/statuses/116411363777787855Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:40:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:40:44 GMT]]>@timixretroplays @r3spawndbae @EvelynOctavia

Somehow, a (very probably scam) app got into the top of search results, and I inadvertently installed it, and gave it my login information.

I managed to login via official means, and change the password. Thankfully, I never ever added any kind of payment information like credit cards or such, and I don't think they could get anything useful from the account, or send messages on my behalf.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/diegomartinez/statuses/116411363759819244https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/diegomartinez/statuses/116411363759819244Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:40:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:40:43 GMT]]>@timixretroplays @r3spawndbae @EvelynOctavia

When I got my current phone, I went to install the usual apps.

After installing FB Messenger and logging in (with email and password), I noticed the interface being a bit different from what I had a few days before, then noticed the icon was kinda odd looking.

I decided to look at the app info on GPlay, and realized I had not installed the official app. I don't recall the specific developer name shown, but it was kinda official looking.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/diegomartinez/statuses/116411363733376235https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/diegomartinez/statuses/116411363733376235Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:40:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:28:43 GMT]]>@r3spawndbae @EvelynOctavia everyone laughs at the scams we spot easily and wonders how people get tricked by such obvious stuff.

The stuff those people get tripped up by is made harder to spot by the assumption that they'll see it coming.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://digipres.club/users/timixretroplays/statuses/116408013530565504https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://digipres.club/users/timixretroplays/statuses/116408013530565504Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:28:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:04:44 GMT]]>@r3spawndbae @timixretroplays yea, that assumption came from me thinking for people to sign up for mastodon, they'll get up and study what the fediverse is and how it differs from centralized social platforms. This is windows vs. Linux all over again.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://c.im/ap/users/116352254831008129/statuses/116407919190370503https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://c.im/ap/users/116352254831008129/statuses/116407919190370503Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:04:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:52:59 GMT]]>@EvelynOctavia @timixretroplays Everyone can be scammed. It might be harder to scam some people, but nobody is immune. Also, you don't have to be particularly 'tech savvy' to be on Mastodon; it's not like it's hard to make an account, nor do we want to be. The best way to deal with scammers is: report >> block >> move on.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116161055473411472/statuses/116407873031103520https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116161055473411472/statuses/116407873031103520Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:52:59 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:00:37 GMT]]>@timixretroplays @socialmedia agreed!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://socialbc.ca/users/chris/statuses/116406251523032939https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://socialbc.ca/users/chris/statuses/116406251523032939Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:00:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:34:52 GMT]]>@chris @socialmedia I suspect as Mastodon gains more and more users over time and the attack surface for stuff like this continues to expand, we'll start to see servers get pickier about federation and start to shy away from the bigger, wilder-west servers.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://digipres.club/users/timixretroplays/statuses/116406150298564526https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://digipres.club/users/timixretroplays/statuses/116406150298564526Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:34:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:31:31 GMT]]>@timixretroplays@digipres.club Way to ruin an honest hustle. <_<

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lamp.leemoon.network/notes/al2608tub985055jhttps://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lamp.leemoon.network/notes/al2608tub985055jTue, 14 Apr 2026 12:31:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:38:13 GMT]]>@timixretroplays scamming the already tech savvy people? Good luck with that.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://c.im/ap/users/116352254831008129/statuses/116402624475591822https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://c.im/ap/users/116352254831008129/statuses/116402624475591822Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:38:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:27:13 GMT]]>@timixretroplays I received an email the other day warning me a new IP address had accessed my account 😏 Yeah, nah.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116314761369107996/statuses/116402109395932675https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116314761369107996/statuses/116402109395932675Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:27:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:13:53 GMT]]>@timixretroplays
Got hit twice tonight.
Block. Block.
Easy.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.online/users/jaykass/statuses/116401585111705133https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.online/users/jaykass/statuses/116401585111705133Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:13:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:59:11 GMT]]>@timixretroplays @socialmedia can someone please end the tyranny of the “open registration” instances on Mastodon? The amount of spam generated is unacceptable.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://socialbc.ca/users/chris/statuses/116401527272111639https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://socialbc.ca/users/chris/statuses/116401527272111639Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:59:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:41:13 GMT]]>@timixretroplays Post with "apple" or "ai" hashtags and like 5 bots will automatically boost it.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://cyberplace.social/users/chrisp/statuses/116401220696334351https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://cyberplace.social/users/chrisp/statuses/116401220696334351Tue, 14 Apr 2026 04:41:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:49:15 GMT]]>Probably the one kind of post I'm not mildly bothered by trending bots latching onto and boosting.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://digipres.club/users/timixretroplays/statuses/116401016400237236https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://digipres.club/users/timixretroplays/statuses/116401016400237236Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:49:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:25:48 GMT]]>@timixretroplays

That's 2 scam bots reported this hour on Mastodon.cloud.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lingo.lol/ap/users/115645018233576898/statuses/116400924188186678https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://lingo.lol/ap/users/115645018233576898/statuses/116400924188186678Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:25:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:12:25 GMT]]>The people who run scams like this ought to be hunted for sport and very slowly eaten by carnivorous giraffes

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://digipres.club/users/timixretroplays/statuses/116400871527842844https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://digipres.club/users/timixretroplays/statuses/116400871527842844Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:12:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to ⚠️ Heads up - there's a #Mastodon #scam bot doing the rounds. on Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:05:59 GMT]]>@timixretroplays Decided to suspend the instance receiving 2 from them, and spotting a third. Only one account was following here, and I couldn't find it, wasn't finding this account.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.jigmedatse.com/users/jigmedatse/statuses/116400846214843957https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.jigmedatse.com/users/jigmedatse/statuses/116400846214843957Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:05:59 GMT