10 Common Instagram Scams and How to Avoid Them

Instagram is easily one of the world’s most popular social networks, especially among younger people, but that popularity is also why it’s a frequent haunt for scammers. In this guide, we’ll tackle 10 of the most common types of Instagram scams, and how you (or your friends and loved ones) can avoid them.

1. Lottery/giveaway scams

While contests and other giveaways on Instagram are often genuine — as they’re an ideal way to promote a brand — it’s important to check the authenticity of any source account(s). Scammers will sometimes open impersonation accounts, steal images, and then offer a giveaway asking the “winners” to pay money or unnecessarily share sensitive information, such as bank details. They may even skip the impersonation part, but try to create a trustworthy facade.

A real giveaway (normally) won’t require much more than liking, following, tagging or commenting on Instagram content, or maybe signing up for an outside newsletter. Some contests may require alternate creative content submissions, but you will know in advance. The company will eventually have to reach out and contact you, but always be wary of clicking on external links – although sometimes necessary, if a URL looks suspicious, it could be a phishing attack (see below).

2. Phishing

Phishing is the use of fake web pages to trick you into sharing private information, such as your bank or Instagram logins. Apart from immediate consequences such as financial theft or the loss of control over Instagram, there is the risk of extortion, impersonation or scammers using your Meta information to log into other services.

Fortunately, once you know what to look for, phishing is easy to avoid. Meta/Instagram will never threaten to suspend your account unless, for example, you verify it, certainly not by tapping on an email, WhatsApp or SMS link. Phishing URLs (web addresses) also look different from those belonging to real companies, so if a URL doesn’t start with something like “instagram.com” or “bankofamerica.com,” it’s probably a red flag. If you do land on an external link, keep an eye out for spelling mistakes, awkward translations, and other signs that a web page is illegitimate.

3. Forgery

Some scammers claim to sell luxury goods, often at a steep discount. You’ll be able to send them money, but if you receive anything in return, it’s going to be a lower quality dupe. In some cases, they may even pretend to be the brand they are selling.

The best rule of thumb here is that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. A bag from Hermès or Louis Vuitton isn’t suddenly going to be as affordable as something sold at Target, and Apple rarely offers any discounts on new iPhones, much less enough to make one as affordable as a budget Android phone.

As with phishing, you may be able to identify counterfeiters through misspellings, poor translations, and/or unusual or misleading URLs. A plus here is that they can use badly Photoshopped product images.

Keep in mind that many fakers will not necessarily approach you via Instagram, even when there is a scam attached to it. You can be targeted via messaging apps like Telegram or WhatsApp. The good news is that this is an obvious sign, as reputable businesses don’t need to attract customers this way.

4. Fake influencers

This is a very broad category that may overlap with others (see the following one for example), but sometimes you may be approached by users claiming to offer things like investment advice or increased Instagram exposure. In the latter category, it means someone who claims they can get you more likes or followers, whether they’re real people or just bots.

Fake influencers are often quite easy to identify by visiting their profiles. Their descriptions tend to be vague and/or focused on getting you to open an external link, which you should probably avoid in case of phishing or malware. The person’s photos, meanwhile, will often feature an attractive woman, but have nothing to do with what they are promoting. There is a fair chance that they are stolen from another Instagram account or a model’s online portfolio.

Some people have gotten legitimately rich from cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but there’s an entire (exploitative) cottage industry dedicated to selling the idea that anyone can finally drive a Ferrari by the end of the week. Anyone who “guarantees” profits from crypto is probably trying to make money off you instead, especially if they expect you to pay for a secret guide or an initial investment in crypto mining.

More aggressive scammers may claim that they can make a profit for you within hours or days. However, be warned that even someone who promises a more realistic time frame can still be a scam. Before investing in any cryptocurrency, research objective sources on the subject, make the investment yourself and be prepared for the possibility of losing thousands of dollars if the market tanks. Very few real investments are always in the black.

6. “Flippen”/investment scams

It sells you on the idea that you can get rich quick after an initial investment. This could be something like crypto, as mentioned, but could also involve things like stocks or physical goods. More likely than not, the scammer will disappear or cut contact once they have your money. Even if they don’t, you may be left holding the bag and unable to make your investment back, as in a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme.

The flags for this are similar to other scams, but there is a strong emphasis on promoting the “success” of a scammer through their Instagram account. They will show that they live a rich lifestyle, for example driving expensive cars or taking exotic vacations, and market the idea of ​​”being your own boss.” However, remember that Al Capone was also his own boss.

7. False sponsorships

If you are an influencer yourself, you may be approached by someone promising a sponsorship deal with shady terms. This could be as obvious as wanting your bank details to provide an initial “bonus”, but another possibility is that you’ll be asked to meet someone far away and cover the associated travel costs until you pay back can be. In general, any company that expects you to travel should be prepared to cover a hotel and plane in advance.

It may not seem like it on the surface, but it’s possibly one of the more serious scams out there. If you are lured to a remote location, you may be robbed, kidnapped, sold into the sex trade, or even killed. Before you agree to anything, do your homework on a company and its social media accounts to make sure they are honest with a verifiable track record.

8. Fake jobs

When you are unemployed, you may become desperate for a new job to pay the bills. There may be real openings shared via Instagram, but if someone asks you to share private information like your bank account or social security number without an onboarding process, including an interview and a contract, it’s a scam.

You can usually avoid job scams by searching first on career-focused sites, such as LinkedIn or Indeed. No matter what, any employer who promises a lot of money for little effort or experience is usually a scammer, or at least trying to hide a serious disadvantage.

Many male Instagram users have at least been approached by strangers promising paid or no-strings sex. You’re not going to get what you want if you fall for this, but these types of scams are usually transparent anyway, thanks to questionable links and other content in a scammer’s profile.

More insidious is the romantic long con. Some scammers will flirt and build up the illusion of an authentic relationship, and wait until the time is right to ask for money. At that point, they will fabricate an emergency such as a medical condition or visa problem, hoping that you will be gullible enough to send cash to someone you don’t actually know that intimately.

Long distance relationships can be a real thing, don’t get us wrong. But Instagram isn’t a dating app, and you should never be too quick to trust someone you’ve never met in person.

10. Astroturfed music promotion

These days, a surprising number of people are bedroom musicians hoping to break out. If that’s why you’re on Instagram, you could end up being targeted by scammers who claim they can get your music out to a mass audience. This is obviously a form of fake influencer scam, but is characterized by the fact that if you pay, the fake music promoter can refer you – even provide statistics that show you how well you’re doing. The truth is that if the numbers aren’t completely made up, you might just be getting exposure from bots. Bots don’t listen to Spotify or pay for albums on Bandcamp.

You can avoid this type of scam by refusing unsolicited Instagram announcements (unless you recognize the person) and being skeptical of terms. There are honest, established promoters out there just waiting to work with you if you can demonstrate enough talent, or at least a marketable image.

What to do if you get scammed on Instagram

Document as much as possible first. Get profile information for the suspected scammer, and capture as many related screenshots as possible, as you never know when the person will disappear. This includes any DM, comments or off-message exchanges.

Don’t try to take revenge. Report the scam to Instagram instead. They probably won’t be able to get any money back, but at least they can ban the scammer and take measures to prevent them from hurting anyone else.

If you are sure that a serious crime has been committed or someone else may be threatened, take your situation to the police if possible. We say “if possible” because you will definitely need evidence, and the police need jurisdiction. There’s not much the police in Louisiana can do if a scammer is based in, say, China or Lithuania.