Chương 69: Bonus Story : The Kingdom's Phone : Part 8 : The False Messenger

As they left a supermarket, a vibration came from Aldric's pocket. Ever since Emma had taught him how to recognize the different notifications, he now knew that he had just received a message. He took out his phone. It was only the second time he had ever received a text message. Naturally, he expected to see Emma's name, Patrick's, or perhaps Julien's. Instead, none of those names appeared on the screen.

An unfamiliar number was displayed above a particularly alarming message: U nusual activity has been detected on your account. Your account is about to be suspended. Verify your information immediately by clicking the link below. He looked up at Emma and showed her the screen.

"Don't touch anything."

"Why?"

"It's a scam. Someone is trying to make you believe they're your bank when they aren't."

"How can you be so sure?" Emma pointed to the number displayed at the top of the screen.

"First, look at the sender."

"I know this number no better than I know my bank's."

"That's exactly what scammers are counting on. Besides... you don't even have a bank account yet, Aldric."

"Scammers...?"

"People who try to steal other people's money by deceiving them instead of attacking them." In his world, thieves operated at night with their faces concealed and a dagger in hand. Those who preyed on merchants forced open strongboxes or stole purses. Here, no one seemed interested in snatching his phone away.

"Now look at the words they use.""'Immediately.'

'Account suspension.'

'Unusual activity.' Everything is designed to frighten you so you won't take the time to think." Aldric read the message again. The more carefully he examined it, the more he realized that it contained almost no actual information. It mentioned neither his name, nor the nature of the problem, nor the slightest explanation of this supposed unusual activity.

"This messenger says almost nothing."

"Exactly."

"He merely claims that danger is approaching."

"And he hopes you'll click without asking any questions." The method reminded him of stories often told in military barracks. Spies sometimes disguised themselves as allied soldiers in order to gain entry to a fortress or persuade someone to open its gates. They did not breach the walls by force. They convinced someone to let them in.

"If I click..."

"You could be sent to a fake website that looks exactly like your bank's."

"The same colors. The same logo. The same text... sometimes everything is identical."

"So they create a perfect imitation."

"They try to."

"For what purpose?"

"So you'll enter your username, your password, or your bank card information. Once you've given them those details... they can use them as if they were you."

"That is far more devious than the brigands of my kingdom."

"Modern thieves often rely more on intelligence than on strength."

"In my world, a false messenger could persuade a guard to open a gate. Here, it seems he can persuade a man to open his own treasury."

"That's exactly it." They resumed their walk toward the apartment. Aldric kept one hand in his pocket, resting on his phone. Since arriving on Earth, he had discovered extraordinary machines, but he had also learned that they could become weapons in the wrong hands. Yet it wasn't the fake message that troubled him most. It was how easily he had almost trusted it. Without Emma's intervention, he would have followed its instructions. The thought unsettled him.

"I was about to click... Yet I always try to think carefully before I act." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"That's exactly why this kind of scam works."

"So you're saying that careless people aren't the only victims?"

"Scammers aren't necessarily looking for naive people. They're mainly looking for people they can pressure." He had spent much of his life studying military strategy. Whenever an enemy wanted to capture a fortress, they almost always tried to force their opponent into acting too quickly.

"Explain."

"Look at your message. It didn't just tell you there was a problem. It told you that you had to act immediately. If you believe your account will be blocked within a few minutes, you think less clearly. You focus on solving the problem as fast as possible.""'Immediately'... So that wasn't the important piece of information. The deadline was."

"Exactly." In his world, the greatest generals knew that a frightened soldier made far more mistakes than a calm one. Ambushes, feigned retreats, and surprise attacks all pursued the same objective: preventing the enemy from thinking. The more he reflected on it, the more he recognized that same logic in this message.

"So the real trap wasn't the link. The link is only the final step. The real trap is to steal the reader's peace of mind first. Are there many messages like this?"

"Lots of them. Some claim your account is about to be deleted. Others say a package couldn't be delivered. Others tell you you've won a prize or that someone close to you is in danger. The stories change, but the principle is always the same."

"To create an emotion strong enough to prevent clear thinking... How does one recognize these false messengers?"

"First, never rush. If a message insists that you must act immediately, that's already a good reason to slow down. Second, always check who sent it. Finally, if there's even the slightest doubt, don't click anything. Open your bank's official app or call the organization directly."

"In my kingdom, whenever a rider arrived claiming to carry an urgent order from the king, the captain always inspected the royal seal before opening the fortress gates."

"Well, it's exactly the same today." They arrived in front of the apartment building.

"I understand now. In my world, I was taught never to draw my sword out of fear. In this one... I will never click out of urgency." Once they were back inside the apartment, Aldric placed his phone on the table before sitting down across from Emma.

"You've explained how to recognize this first scam. Are there any rules I should always follow?"

"Yes. There are a few, and if you apply them consistently, you'll avoid most problems. First rule: always check who sent the message, especially if it appears to come from an official source. Scammers love pretending to be a bank, a company, or a government agency. They know people are more trusting when they believe they're dealing with an important institution." In his world, some spies wore the colors of a neighboring kingdom to approach a fortress without arousing suspicion.

A uniform inspired trust before a single word was spoken.

"So they borrow the colors of another kingdom."

"That's exactly the idea."

"And the next rule?"

"Never share your personal information. Your password, your bank card details, the verification codes you receive by text message... anything that would allow someone to access your account. A real bank will never ask for that information over the phone, by text message, or by email." In his world, no captain worthy of the name would have handed the keys to a fortress to a stranger simply because he claimed to serve the king. Why should the rules be any different here?

"And the last one?"

"Never click a link too quickly."

"It's strange. I thought the dangers of your world would be entirely new. Yet the solutions you're teaching me are the very ones our scouts used. Verify the identity of whoever approaches. Never hand important information to a stranger. Never act in haste..."

A few days later, Aldric found himself alone. Emma was working that morning, so he decided to use his free time to explore the neighborhood around his apartment. He was walking along a street lined with shops when a familiar sound came from his pocket. His phone was ringing. The knight took it out. The screen displayed: Emma"Let's think." He recalled everything Emma had taught him. Whenever a problem arose, he must never act in haste. Observe. Understand. Only then decide. His eyes scanned the screen.

The name was familiar. The caller was identified. There was no alarming message. No strange request. It was simply Emma trying to reach him.

"This isn't a trap..." He slid his finger across the green icon. The ringing stopped. For a brief moment, only the sounds of the street surrounded him. Then Emma's voice came through the phone.

"Knight Aldric. I'm listening."

"You answered all by yourself!" On the other end of the call, Emma smiled. Even before dialing his number, she had amused herself imagining how he would answer.

"So it would seem."

"I was a little afraid you wouldn't pick up."

"I hesitated. You weren't there to guide me."

"And yet you handled it perfectly."

"I simply followed your teachings."

"Where are you?" The knight looked around. A bakery stood to his right. A florist occupied the corner of the next street. Looking up, he spotted the street name fixed to the side of a building.

"Rue des Martyrs."

"Ah, you're not very far from home. Actually, I was just calling to make sure everything was alright."

"Everything is going very well. And you?"

"I'm doing well too." Still holding the phone to his ear, Aldric continued walking through the streets of Paris. Cars passed only a few yards away while the conversations of passersby blended with the noise of traffic. The more he used this technology, the more accustomed to it he became, yet part of him still regarded it as nothing short of miraculous. Emma asked what he had been doing that morning, whether he had managed to find the shop they had noticed a few days earlier, and if his walk was going well.

"Yes. I found the street without any difficulty thanks to the map."

"And you didn't get lost?"

"No."

"You see? You hardly need me anymore."

"I would say that your teachings continue to accompany me."

"That's beautifully said."

"You know... you don't have to be so formal with me."

"Formal?"

"Yes. You almost sound as though you're speaking to a fellow officer."

"A conversation always deserves respect. When two people take the time to speak with one another, it seems only proper to listen carefully to what they have to say." After a few more minutes of conversation, Emma glanced at the time displayed on her computer. Her break was already coming to an end.

"I'll have to let you go. I'll see you this evening."

"I'll be delighted." △ QUEST COMPLETE △ Learn to Use a Phone