You Thought Your Chats Were Safe—They Weren’t

Here is an expanded version of around 620 words, written in a clear, impactful, awareness-style tone suitable for articles or social media posts:

---

Warning… Read This Carefully

Have you ever opened your heart and shared personal thoughts with an intelligent chatbot like ChatGPT or Claude?

If your answer is yes, then this information is extremely important for you and should not be ignored.

A recent investigation has revealed a serious privacy risk involving a so-called “free VPN” browser extension available on the Google Chrome browser. According to researchers, this extension was secretly recording private conversations of millions of users across the world.

The extension in question is called Urban VPN Proxy.

At first glance, Urban VPN appeared to be a harmless and helpful tool, promising online privacy and unrestricted internet access. However, behind the scenes, it was doing something far more dangerous. The extension reportedly contained hidden scripts designed to quietly monitor and store users’ conversations with AI chatbots—without their knowledge or consent.

These recorded conversations were not limited to obscure platforms. They reportedly included interactions with some of the most popular and trusted AI chatbots in the world, including:

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

Claude (Anthropic)

Gemini (Google)

DeepSeek

Grok (xAI)

This means that if you discussed personal problems, mental health concerns, medical issues, financial details, relationships, work-related matters, or confidential ideas, that information may have been silently collected. Even worse, this data was allegedly sold onward instead of being protected.

It is crucial to understand one key point:

This is not a failure of ChatGPT or other AI platforms.

The real danger comes from untrusted browser extensions and free VPN services that operate in the background with excessive permissions. These tools often have access to everything happening inside your browser, including the text you type.

If you are using ChatGPT, Claude, or any other chatbot directly through their official websites or mobile apps, there is no immediate reason to panic. However, if you have installed a free VPN, plugin, or browser extension that claims to enhance privacy or security, that same tool may actually be putting your data at risk.

According to the investigation, the collected data was sold to third parties under the label of “marketing analytics.” Users were never clearly informed, nor was their consent obtained. The most disturbing aspect is that there was no toggle, setting, or opt-out option within the extension to stop this activity.

Researchers believe that any chatbot conversations conducted after July 2025 could have been recorded. At the time of the report, Urban VPN had more than six million active users worldwide, and the extension was even promoted as “Featured” on the Chrome Web Store—giving users a false sense of trust and legitimacy.

Cybersecurity experts strongly recommend that if Urban VPN Proxy is currently installed on your browser, you should uninstall it immediately. Beyond that, users are urged to review all installed extensions and applications, carefully checking their permissions and privacy policies. Many people unknowingly allow apps to monitor their browsing activity simply by clicking “Allow” without reading the details.

In today’s digital age, one harsh reality remains true:

Your conversations are one of your most valuable assets.

When you speak to a chatbot, it should feel private—but unsafe tools can turn that moment into something closer to speaking in front of an open microphone.

This is why every internet user must remain alert and skeptical, especially when it comes to free services. Often, if you are not paying with money, you are paying with your data.

To protect yourself, always remember these basic rules:

1. Use only well-known, reputable VPNs and browser extensions.

2. Avoid sharing highly sensitive information with chatbots.

3. Regularly review browser permissions and installed extensions.

4. Be cautious of free services, because their real cost is often hidden.

This post is shared purely for informational and awareness purposes and does not promote hatred or accusations against any individual, organization, or service.

If you found this information useful, please like and share it—because awareness is the first step toward digital safety.