Cyber trick gets you to "click" without clicking

Graphic that reads "Cyber Tricks Revealed"

BY KERRY TOMLINSON, AMPERE NEWS

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

We're starting a new series to show you some of the sneaky things cyber crooks are doing to steal your stuff.

Cyber Tricks Revealed are quick videos and tips to keep you updated on criminal strategies and what you can do to protect yourself.

In our first episode, we show you how attackers get you to ‘click’ without clicking.

Watch here:

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First up in Cyber Tricks Revealed, an attack group called Bitter uses fake profiles to try to lure you in. But that's not their sneakiest trick.

A report from Meta --- formerly Facebook --- outlines an email trick designed to get you to click without clicking.

Attackers often send you emails with links in them to get you to click and go to one of their poisoned web sites. But sometimes the email system will block those links and the email wouldn't go through.

So Bitter instead sends you a picture of a link. The email goes through, you see the image, and if you're convinced, you type the web address into your address bar. Then you're at the malicious site without even having to click.

We hear the advice that clicking on links can be dangerous. Now we need to add another layer to that. Typing in a site address can also be dangerous if it comes from the wrong person.