Avoiding Spam and Staying Safe on GigMug

Maintaining a safe and trustworthy GigMug community requires vigilance. This guide highlights potential cyberthreats and how to avoid them, helping you protect yourself and your account.

Spam: Unwanted Messages, Phishing Attempts, and Malware

Spam is any type of unsolicited messaging activity, often sent to multiple recipients. On GigMug, spam falls into three main categories:

Promotional messages

Phishing attempts

Malware

Unwanted offers or solicitations that attempt to drive traffic to an external website or service are considered spam.

Example:

“Hey! Check out this amazing new service I’m offering! You won’t find a better deal. Click this link to get started: [link].”

If you receive messages like this, please report them immediately.

How to Report Messages or Mark Them as Spam

Spam messages do not affect your response rate, as long as you report them within 24 hours of receipt.

GigMug uses advanced security systems and antivirus scanning for uploaded files. However, if you notice suspicious activity, you can mark messages as spam or report them directly. All reports are reviewed by our Trust & Safety team.

Steps:

Marking a message as spam

Reporting a suspicious message

Blocking a user (desktop & mobile app)

Managing interactions after blocking

How to Spot and Avoid Phishing Attempts

Important: GigMug employees may contact you through the inbox, but they will never:

Ask you to scan a QR code

Request credit card verification to confirm your account

Ask for personal information (like login credentials or payment details)

To recognize an official GigMug employee account, look for:

The GigMug logo

The words “Official GigMug Employee”

Ways to Protect Yourself:

Stay cautious when starting conversations with new users.

Avoid clicking suspicious links or QR codes that redirect you to fake login pages.

Always check the URL (look for the lock icon and “https://gigmug.com”).

Never share your login details outside the official GigMug site.

Report unsolicited messages (promotions, phishing, malware) using “Report an Issue.”

⚠️ Avoid engaging with messages that:

Contain harmful links or malware

Request free work, donations, or your private information

Mass-promote irrelevant services

Ask for login credentials or payment outside of GigMug

Protecting Your Device from Malware

Keep your antivirus software updated

Use a firewall to block unauthorized access

Regularly back up your files

Use strong, unique passwords across sites

Avoid clicking unknown links or opening suspicious files

Access GigMug manually by typing the address in your browser if unsure

Important Disclaimer

While GigMug takes the security of its community very seriously, we cannot guarantee protection against all third-party actions (such as hacking or scams).

If you believe you’ve transferred funds as part of a scam, contact your payment provider immediately to try to reverse the transaction. GigMug cannot be held responsible for unauthorized access or breaches caused by third parties.

Stay Informed

This guide aims to increase awareness within the GigMug community. For more details:

Review our Community Standards

Read our Communication: Do’s and Don’ts

Contact Customer Support if you need help or want to report an issue