Who doesn’t want to skip premium pricing on their favorite apps or get free upgrades? But, before you get excited about TikTok videos promising things that are too good to be true, think twice. All you’re getting is free TikTok malware instead.
TikTok Malware Costing Users
Researchers have discovered a new way that scammers are exploiting social media users. This time they’re banking on the trust users have for TikTok. Multiple accounts have popped up, all with similar styles and videos, showing hacks for getting free premium apps and upgrades.
For example, one clip shows you how to get Spotify Premium for free. Another takes you through a simple process of getting Microsoft Office without paying a dime. While there are ways to get Office for free, the TikTok method in the video isn’t one of them.
As researchers uncover this malicious TikTok accounts, they’re being deactivated. That isn’t stopping the damage, though.
Before many of the videos were taken down, they already have over half a million views and tens of thousands of likes. This means thousands of TikTok users could have been affected.
The worst part is this scam is far from over. Researchers suspect the scammers are using AI to quickly generate numerous videos. When one account gets shut down, another pops up.
Since there isn’t any actual malware in the TikTok video, traditional anti-virus won’t block the videos. Instead, victims install the malware from an outside source by following the steps in the video.
How to Recognize the TikTok Malware Scam
The common theme among this latest TikTok threat is they all ask you to use PowerShell to execute a command. If a random TikTok video asks you to run a PowerShell command to get something for free, don’t do it.
This is no different than the thousand of malicious sites out there promising you a free code or download of premium software if you just click a link or take a quick survey. The only thing you’ll get for free is a virus.
Since you’re asked to just enter a single command, it seems easy enough. Plus, if thousands of other users liked the video, it must be legitimate, right? No.
I know rising subscription and app prices make you want to look for ways to cut costs, but falling for scams just costs you even more and could compromise your personal data.
Top TikTok Scams to Watch For
The PowerShell TikTok malware scam is just the latest, but far from the only scam you have to watch out for.
TikTok Money Scams
The most common ones revolve around money, such as get rich quick schemes, credit repair, or free gift cards for doing nothing. Any time a TikTok video promises something incredible financially without any real effort on your part, it’s a major red flag.
While there are legitimate contests on TikTok, take the time to verify the account is real. Look for a verified accounts with a blue check mark. Check if the account posts any other types of content or just pushes too good to be true financial “hacks.” You can also check the brand or creator on other social media channels.
Fake Charities
This is also a money scam, but it deserves its own section. Thanks to AI, it’s incredibly easy to create fake photos and videos of a tragedy. You’re then directed to help out the victim(s) by donating to a specific charity.
Boom! Just like that, the scammer gets your money and financial details as you donate. Do your research about the supposed incident and the charity before you donate anything.
Malicious TikTok Bots
Why would scammers waste their time actually talking to you if they could just like an AI chatbot do the work for them? Whether it’s someone trying to be a friend, a romantic interest, or just someone recommending something to you in the comments, think twice before diving into a conversation.
Malicious bots seem real enough at first and work to build your trust. Once you trust one, you’re prompted to click a link which could install malware or ask for personal information.
Look for these common signs that you’re talking to a bot versus a real human. Yes, real humans may be scammers sometimes too, but the bots most definitely are.
Fake Products, Services, and Apps
You don’t just get TikTok malware by trying to get free premium apps. Scammers also heavily promote fake apps, services, and products to get you to buy them. Create enough fake accounts promoting the same incredible thing and it seems trustworthy. Users then shell out money only to get nothing in return except a lot of headaches, and often malware too.
Before buying or downloading anything from TikTok, do a general search in your favorite search engine. If you can’t find a website, reviews, or any real information about it, it probably isn’t real.
I’d love if we could just trust whatever we see on TikTok, but scammers have other ideas. Be cautious and never run random commands on your computer to try and score free premium apps.
