Phone hack

I have A iPhone 6. I posted some stuff on Craigslist and got a text from a number saying do u still have it with a link to craigslist. I clicked on the link not knowing or thinking. And it went to Craigslist for me to login. It looked like w homemade version of Craigslist. I didn't login or anything. But I did reply to the number and asked have what and then some ? Marks. But I was wondering if clicking on the link or replying would have made me open to a virus or something?

Very unlikely.

 

Look.  You seem to be completely paranoid about your cell phone.  Life is to short to live it in a perpetual state of fear.  You either need to find some way to relax… or you should get rid of your phone so you can enjoy life.

 

Here is what you have posted to us.

 

I posted some stuff on Craiglist = meaning the you personally placed an ad on Craigslist, so you know about it.

I got a text from a number saying "do you still have it?" = Obviously, someone responded to your ad.  It is kind of why ads are posted.

with a link to craigslist = this is pretty standard stuff.  A link to the ad is supplied to avoid confusion as to what the subject of the inquiry is.

And it went to Craigslist for me to login. = The link should go to Craigslist.  That is what it's for.  The request to login came from your phone app.

It looked like homemade Craigslist. = I don't know how to respond to that.

I replied with what??? = This confuses me as I would think you should know what as you placed the ad.

Wondering if clicking or replying would infect me. = I cannot think of a good way to get infected by texting someone.  You can go to infected links… but it is pretty tough to infect a cell phone.  Also, typically, malware that would infect a windows operating system will have no effect on an Iphone.

 

It is always good to be a little paranoid when using electronic devices.  It will keep you on your toes and help protect you from blindly clicking on links, but you still must be able to go on with your life.  You have posted a couple of topics here now of the type:  "I have used my cell phone on the internet.  Could I be infected now?"  The honest answer is.. Yes.  Everything carries a risk.  The "correct" answer is that it is extremely unlikely.  The only 100% sure way to never get infected is to never go online.  If you can't figure out a way to live with managing the risk… Don't take the risk.

I'm not paranoid just asked a ? And it was a phishing scam the exact same question is on Craigslist faq I just looked. They want you to enter your login so they can use your account to send more scams. I don't even have a Craigslist account. If someone replied it would send it directly to my ad. Sorry for asking for assistance.

I just don't know much about this stuff that's why I seek for more experienced advice. Thanks.

How did you place an ad if you don't have an account?

I don't live on my phone as you apparently do (can't say the same thing about my PC, however). And you are wise to be concerned about security - especially if you do your banking or shopping with your phone. But right now, the general consensus seems to be that smartphones are pretty secure and most carriers don't recommend anti-malware for our phones. The biggest concern is using caution when adding apps, and physical security - that is, protecting our phones from being stolen - not hacked.

 

And you need to understand that phishing scams are just a fact of life. It is not uncommon at all to receive unsolicited emails that want you to click here or provide this information there. That's what spam and social engineering is all about.

 

This is also why the user is ALWAYS the weakest link in security. So for sure, we as users, must always keep our devices updated, and we must not be what I call "click-happy" on unsolicited links, downloads and attachments.

 

Now you posted "some stuff" on Craig's List therefore, some responses should not be unexpected and I would not automatically suspect a link in a response I was expecting. You solicited a response, and you got one. But it is also possible badguys are lurking about Craig's seeking personal information on others - so don't provide it.

 

And for sure, there are badguys lurking about Craig's List who want to rip us off. In fact, my local police department established two well-lit parking spaces right in front of their headquarters building that are just for Craig's List exchanges. They are monitored by security cameras 24/7. This way, we can setup a meeting space that is not our home, or some place they pick that may not be safe.  

 

And I agree with Tomk and wonder how you placed an add without an account?

You don't have to have an account on Craigslist. You just post to classifieds and enter and email and confirm the link through your email. If you have an account you get to skip the confirmation email step. I use my phone for banking I do not have a PC since smart phones are pretty much the same. Therefore you see my security concern. Craigslist confirmed this after I posted this tread that it was a phishing scam that is very common. Trying to get your Craigslist login to use your ID as another phishing distributor. No worries. Just asking rather to be safe than sorry.

No worries. Just asking rather to be safe than sorry.       

 

 I agree.

I agree also, and as I said in my PM reply… Sorry for sounding so curt.  I don't want to discourage you from asking questions and expecting a gracious reply - I wasn't trying to be as rude as my reply sounds.

To that, note that the very purpose of forums is to have an "open" venue where EVERYONE has an opportunity to participate, share and learn. PMs prevent others from learning from our experiences or sharing theirs. Plus, because everyone here are volunteers with family and other commitments, a PM may go unread and unanswered for days or even a couple weeks. Posting in the open forums ensures a more timely response.