Discord brings people together in a fun and easy way. That’s why most users love it. That’s also why many Discord users are willing to spend money to boost their favorite servers. Boosting increases the server’s level, with each level unlocking additional benefits. Unfortunately, this lovely, community-driven practice has also become a target for scammers. Here’s everything you need to know about the Discord server boost scam.
What Is the Server Boost Scam in Discord?
Picture this. You receive a message from a bot displaying a giant “You Won!” sign. Your prize is 30 server boosts. All you need to do to claim it is invite the bot to your server and wait a day. At first glance, the message looks like the real deal. There’s even a checkmark next to the bot’s name, making it seem verified and trustworthy. However, it’s not. This is just a server boost scam.
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If you were to click on the invite link, you would likely give away your personal and financial information. The bot would also send the exact same message to everyone on your server, spreading the scam even further.
How to Spot a Discord Server Boost Scam
Gift-giving is allowed on Discord. That’s where the problem lies. You can’t just write off any offer as a scam. No, you have to look for signs that the message you received is, in fact, a scam. Here are some of those signs.
Unfamiliar Source
Scammers will often reach out without prior contact or warning. If your gift-giving message is coming from an unknown account, it’s a major red flag.
Link Format
Legitimate Discord gifts have a specific format – “discord.gift/”. If the link from your message doesn’t match this format, it could be a scam. Plus, Rule No. 1 of internet security is to never click on unfamiliar links.
Poor Grammar and Spelling
Scam messages often feature bad grammar, awkward phrasing, or improper punctuation. Server boost scam messages are no different. So, you should look closely at the message you received. If it says something like “Click Here for Claim Your Prize,” it’s likely a scam.
Offering “Too Good to Be True” Deals
Why would a bot give you dozens of boosts just for an invitation to your server? That’s the question you should ask yourself. It simply doesn’t make sense. If you receive a deal that seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Requesting to Add a Bot
A legitimate Discord boost doesn’t require you to invite a bot to your server. So, the entire premise of this “gift” should immediately raise suspicion. Adding a bot can’t – and won’t – boost your server. It’s as simple as that.
Verified Badge
The checkmark next to the bot’s name is why many people fall for the server boost scam. However, just because a bot is verified doesn’t make it trustworthy. Scammers can manage to get their bots verified. They can even steal legitimate bot tokens to trick users. So, you should always look beyond that checkmark.
What to Do About Discord Server Boost Scams
The better question is what not with Discord server boost scams. You should never click on the link – plain and simple. However, you should also report the message to Discord immediately. This might help the platform track down the scammer and remove it.
If the bot managed to trick you, don’t panic. Instead, do the following:
- Remove the bot from your server.
- Message everyone on your server to prevent them from falling for the same scam.
- Change your password.
- Enable two-factor authentication.
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This article doesn’t really mention the details of where is the vulnerability. So I’m just guessing it must be the bot (or whichever entity) invited to the server is given (or begged to be given) high permissions, and it escalates from there.