Summary
- Youtube has issued a warning about a new phishing scam that’s making the rounds.
- The scam involves a private video link sent through email, leading to a malicious download.
- If you see something like this in your inbox, ignore it.
YouTube is one of the best video streaming services available. It offers millions of hours of content and doesn’t cost a thing, if you’re willing to watch some ads. You can always sign up for an account, which isn’t necessary, but it does make the experience a little better, allowing you to follow the creators and content that you want to watch most.
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Now, having an account does require an email, and you will sometimes be contacted by YouTube about different features and promotions that the service is currently offering. With that said, if you’ve recently seen an email from YouTube in your inbox, there’s a chance that it could be something nefarious. YouTube issued a public statement on X, warning users to stay vigilant while it investigates.
Don’t click the links
Now, this isn’t the first time that we’ve heard of something like this happening. But it’s always good to bring awareness to these kinds of situations, especially when there’s so much at stake for some. YouTube called out a post by vidIQ, which details how the scam works, hopefully ensuring that folks out there are educated and won’t fall for it.
As far as what happens, users will receive an email from an official-looking email address “no-reply@youtube”. Users are requested to click a link that will lead them to a YouTube page with a private video. In the description, users are then instructed to check a link, which leads to a password protected DocuSign page.
The objective here is to have people use the provided code, and download the malicious file, which will give access to vital information on the infected computer. Last December, something similar was going around, with creators losing their account with just a few short clicks. Of course, you can never be too careful when on the internet.
If you’re unsure about something online, it’s always best to just shut things down and not even proceed. YouTube also provides some excellent tips when dealing with something that could be a phishing attempt. You can also follow the YouTube X account where it should provide more important information about this in the near future.
