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- Influencer scams. On Instagram, not all influencers are created equal. While there are plenty of legitimate influencers on the app, some of them are fake accounts designed to deceive you.
- Phishing scams. In a phishing scam, you may receive a pressing direct message (DM) or email prompting you to take action before your Instagram account is “suspended.”
- Fake job scams. With many people losing their jobs during the pandemic, scammers looked to take advantage of the situation by promoting fake job postings on Instagram.
- Music promotion scams. If you share music on Instagram, you may be subject to music promotion scams. Compared to other scams, music promotion scams are much more specific and may only apply to musicians.
- What Are Instagram Scams?
- Why Do People Scam on Instagram?
- What Are Common Scams on Instagram?
- How Can You Avoid Instagram Scams?
- What Should You Do If You’Ve Been Scammed on Instagram?
An Instagram scam is fraud specifically designed to target Instagram users. “Just like there are different specialties in law, sports, medicine and science, there are also different specialties when it comes to cybercrimes,” Eaton says. “Some hackers are masters at code. Others might focus near-exclusively on crypto. But today, many are pursuing pl...
The point of any scam is to put money in the scammers’ pockets, whether they’re doing this directly—through fake-product scams, for example—or through phishing and more indirect means. “Scammers, through Instagram, are seeking something specific, such as personal, confidential and/or financial information,” says Lisa Schiller, director of investiga...
Romance scams
MicroStockHub/getty images How the scam works “Romance scamsare quite popular and have even happened to people I know,” says Chris Hauk, a consumer privacy champion at Pixel Privacy. “Scammers send messages to targets, claiming to be divorced, widowed or in some type of bad situation.” What the scam entails These con artists often use catfishing or military romance scams while they love bombpotential victims to simultaneously elicit sympathy and fake a whirlwind romance. “They’ll claim they n...
Lottery scams
How the scam works In these Instagram scams, victims are told that they merely need to pay some income taxes or administrative fees to claim their prize. “It is impossible to win a lottery you haven’t entered, and yet people are contacted through social media and told that they have won a lottery, and they let their greed blind them,” Weisman says. What the scam entails A commonly occurring lottery-related scam that keeps turning up on Instagram involves Mavis Wanczyk, who won a huge lottery...
Loan scams
How the scam works “Scammers will contact you through Instagram, offering loans with terms that seem too good to be true, and once they have your financial data, they will disappear,” says Alex Hamerstone, director of advisory solutions at cybersecurity company TrustedSec. What the scam entails Social media is not the place to find a great deal on loans. “This scam has the scammer promising low-interest, instant money, but as soon as you make the first payment—up front, of course—they disappe...
Javier Zayas Photography/getty images “Humans are diverse and complex, and sadly, some people are emotionally unwell,” Eaton says. “Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been an influx of isolation, fear and upheaval. Platforms like Facebook or Instagram might be their only outlet. This doesn’t excuse [scammers’] behavior, of course. It’s...
If you’ve engaged with an account that you think is an imposter, you should immediately report and block them on Instagram. Here’s how to report a user on the app: 1. Tap the scammer’s username to go to their profile. 2. Tap the three dots found in the top-right corner of the profile. 3. Tap “Report.” 4. Tap “Report Account.” Select a reason for th...
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Dec 30, 2023 · Phishing emails: Contain suspicious links that take you to bogus websites where you are prompted to enter your Instagram login credentials or credit card information. Fake investment offers: Promise you a great return for just a small investment.
Jul 21, 2022 · Published on July 21, 2022. What is an Instagram scam? An Instagram scam is a type of online scam that specifically targets Instagram users. Scammers send direct messages or leave comments on Instagram feeds to lure victims into turning over valuable information or money.
Dec 13, 2023 · Instagram scams refer to fraudulent schemes and deceptive practices to trick users into disclosing personal information, sending money, or engaging in other actions that benefit the scammers. Instagram scams can manifest in various forms, ranging from fake giveaways and phishing attempts to identity theft and romance scams.
What are Instagram scams? Common Instagram scams. 1. Instagram artist scams. 2. Instagram phishing scams. 3. Instagram blackmail scams. 4. Instagram promotion scams. 5. Instagram investment scams. 6. Instagram giveaway scams. 7. Instagram hacking scams. 8. Romance scams on Instagram. 9. Instagram brand ambassador scams. 10. Instagram voting scams.
Mar 26, 2021 · Phishing scams. Phishers try to get access to your Instagram account by sending you a suspicious link, either as an Instagram direct message or via email, where you are then tricked into putting in your username and password on a fake login page.