How to scam people on instagram

How Instagram Scammers Make $10k/Month Using the Dumbest Strategies | by Winifred J. Akpobi

MARKETING

They’re not Nigerian princes, yet they make so much money

Photo by Lindsey LaMont on Unsplash

There’s a long list of moneymaking scams in history, and they evolve technically every year.

These scams, you may have fallen for one or two of them from internet scammers. Or maybe not. There’s a high probability that your teenagers have fallen for some through social media, though. These scam agencies have developed more than humanity expected, and they now take advantage of social media, most especially Facebook and Instagram.

That’s all they do—scam people out of their money, block them, and then move to the next victim. Social media is a happy prompt for them.

So, who would fall for these cheap scams? Greedy young people who are mostly dumb? Not all the time.

Why are young people their target this time around? Because young people are flocking to the internet way more than their elders.

Who are these cheapskate scammers? Very normal people like you and me, who you’d never notice.

And I can swear that they’re not Nigerian princes like everyone thinks.

It goes like this. You see an awesome Instagram page with a wealthy man. He has everything an average person would wish for — 500 Lamborghini Veneno cars and 350 private jets — and he lives in a hotel in the middle of the ocean, all by himself. He also looks Hispanic.

This sexy man’s Instagram content just never stops coming, and you think he’s the god of gods. Finally, his bio says it all. He claims to work for a money-flipping organization.

There’s a link to the organization’s page, and it’s funny how curiosity kills the cat at the worst times.

It’s a new page and it goes like this: Invest your money, and in just 45 minutes, turn your $100 into $1,000, $500 into $5,000, and so on.

The feed of this scam page is filled with authentic proof in the form of images, positive reviews, even videos (by their fake influencers) that help them promote the page.

Now, you think it’s impossible to fall for it.

No, it’s not. They’re smart, and they have a strategy they use to lure people who are desperate for money. It starts with a person who falls for it.

That one person falls for it so badly. They convince the victim to flip $500 into $5,000 and that it will be ready in 45 minutes. Time passes, and there’s no credit alert. The victim asks why.

The response may be that they need an extra $350 to process the payment. And it just keeps increasing, depending on how badly the individual falls for it. They then request the victim’s Instagram password, card details, and whatnot (to process the payment).

If the victim successfully gives in, they log the victim out of their Instagram account or hack it, and use it as an opportunity to make advertising posts, saying how legit it is. And there goes the process.

A follower/online friend of the first victim sees the ad post and contacts the scam page. Another victim falls for it. Just like that.

These money-doubling CEOs are successful most of the time because they target the right people, use the right dumb words to manipulate, and boom! They’re swimming in stolen cash in just 45 minutes.

This scam is a comedy skit because when I heard the story from my friend, I laughed to my heart’s content. How do we tell Instagram that scammers are being crowned queens?

It started with my friend (female) living her life peacefully, uploading photos and reels like a normal person on Instagram. But something changed. She got a direct message — but from a fellow girl.

It started with Heys and His, and with answering battling questions she was asked about college and her personal life.

She proceeded to check the lady’s page and there was nothing new — just a sexy rich woman with a kid. And my friend felt like, Okay, she’s probably just really friendly.

Not at all.

The rich lady went ahead to give an unending gist about her personal life, the salary of $870k a month, and why she quit her modeling job because she got so rich after participating in some premium content no one has ever heard about.

It gets better.

She finally unleashes her true self and says she’s very much into ladies despite being married to a man. She said she loves to get freaky. Note that she sounded like a man — the sad wooing lines that men usually use.

Come on! All ladies know asking for a picture makes a man weaker than suspected. She did it anyway.

She goes to turn my friend’s direct message into the adult content she didn’t pay $1 a day for. And I’m surprised how well my friend played it out. She went along with the adult chat.

I thought the lady was going to stop at that, but then it hit me when HE screenshotted all the chats and asked for $300 (a lot lower than I expected) if my friend wanted the chats to be deleted.

He then went on to say that the chats will be posted worldwide if she didn’t send the money within a few hours.

Note that my friend changed her Instagram username and archived all her photos before this — she probably knew what he was up to and was curious to see what was to happen. She got the entertainment she was looking for.

She simply told him to post it, reported him, and blocked him without worry.

This scam type is so dumb, but people still fall for it. I found out that this scam type is gaining momentum on social media, like Tinder and other dating apps.

Their target: men and women that look awesomely perverted.

All they need are fake photos and the ability to chat through the provided resources. Easy.

Instagram and Facebook, they’re both very well known to attract people who are into fashion, style, and beauty, so they’re the perfect places to advertise businesses with these particular topics.

These business owners are smart. Their marketing strategies are top-notch because there’s no denying that social media like Instagram attracts loyal customers.

Well, so does the contest host that earns $99 per person.

Let’s say the contest host owns an Instagram contest account called “Miss Ultimate Beauty,” which has 87k followers (fake and bought) and also follows 0 people.

This contest page has quality studio-shot photos of women or men with the contest guidelines as the caption to the photos. It’s also marked “closed.” And there’s a winner with a fake selected cash prize.

I have no idea how much these people invest to get an Instagram page to look so authentic, beautiful, and gracefully ready for showbiz.

They select a date to start accepting contestants and a closing date as well.

As I said, their marketing strategy is top-notch. They don’t stop at just posting the date, they add an enticing instruction like this:

Miss Ultimate Beauty is back again!!! #missultimatebeauty
Have you registered for the latest ongoing photo contest which is presented and supported by @xxxxxx7u9ho (some fake brand influencer with 200k fake followers)? Well, if you haven’t registered, we are glad to tell you that this current contest is completely FREE!!!
There will be lots of cash prizes for both the three winners and the participants.
Winner: 5,000 USD + the lastest iPhone 20 X Pro Max + ambassador deal
1st runner-up: 2,500 USD
2nd runner-up: 1,000 USD
Other contestants get 200 USD each. (They make sure it’s higher than $99.)
There is more good news — the winner will also be on a monthly payroll.
To apply for this contest, you are required to follow the instructions below:
1) Follow this contest page @missultimatebeautynotascampageant.
2) Share this post and tag 5 friends in your comment below to follow and like this post.
3) Send a photo to us with your full name requesting to be a contestant.
Hurry now while entry is still open! It’s FREE!!!
For inquiries, send a direct message.

They don’t stop there.

They advertise, send bulk direct messages, pay influencers to advertise. They say if you bring a person to join the contest, you get a 30% discount. They’re so good with marketing that you think their cash prize is real. Some of them say you have to get the highest amount of likes on your submitted photo to win.

In their instructions, they say it’s completely free. That’s the biggest lie of the century. When interested people send a message to them, they ask them to pay an entry fee of $99 in less than 72 hours before successful acceptance using the most polite formal message ever.

They manipulate the victim into thinking their fake photo contest is authentic. It’s not. But these young males and females fall for it, and all they can do is pray to win.

It’s all in vain. After a month of embezzling cash from 100 desperate contestants, they announce the fake winner they already planned from the beginning, probably a friend of theirs.

They happily block all the former contestants and sing praises to God for blessing them with utmost luck. That’s as low as these basic scams go.

Instagram and Facebook scams are the highest-paying scams at this point. It’s easy and fun to get money for free. And even if social media has done everything it can to detect fraud, if there’s a human involved, there’s a sense of intelligence.

Yes, they’re intelligent. They use bad English and incorrect spellings, but that’s intentional, to attract the dumb people they crave.

It’s a professional marketing strategy, in the way I see it.

Even if these scammers are going to hell for being awesomely wicked, they teach us something.

They’re successful most times in attracting the right customers that are loyal. They pick the right words and the right ad sources. They go as far as examining people to see if they’re fit to be scammed.

It’s not breaking news. They’ve been going on for ages, these scams. And every day, new scams are formulated. The old scam gets figured out after gaining saturation in the scam business world, and they formulate new ones again.

A neverending process — similar to the entrepreneurship process.

More from the author:

7 Weirdest Ideas That Made People Multi-Millionaires

№ 7: $50 million yielded from making people ugly

medium. com

Top Instagram Scams of 2022 and How to Avoid Them

Click here to read a summary of this article

Summary: The Most Common Instagram Scams and How to Avoid Them

Instagram is one of the world’s most popular social media channels. Cybercriminals know this and have several tricks up their sleeves to infiltrate your account and steal your personal information. These include:

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
Bogus Brand Collaboration Requests — Offer to pay you for promoting their products then steal your financial data when you provide them
Selling Followers and Likes — Ask you to pay a nominal fee, but your financial data gets stolen when you send financial details
Giveaways — Entice you to try and win a prize, but then you’ll be asked to provide personal information or payment to claim your winnings
Nonexistent Job Offers — Seek personal information from you, like your home address, driver’s license info, and other data as part of the ‘hiring’ process
Imposter Brand Accounts — Sell counterfeit goods (or never deliver the promised goods at all) under the guise of a popular brand

Read on for tips to avoid these common tactics and the steps to take if you become a victim of an Instagram scam.

More than one billion people use Instagram each month, making it the fourth most popular social media channel in the world. Almost everyone, from famous supermodels to your kids, has an Instagram account. This global success makes it a very attractive target for cybercriminals.

Using a variety of strategies, fraudsters leverage the interactive power of Instagram to rip people off in a number of clever ways. They steal not just money but account access, too.

You can avoid becoming a victim of these Instagram scams. It starts by knowing what to look for.

Most Common Instagram Scams Today

There are countless ways cybercriminals use social media to steal money from unsuspecting users, but there are a few tried-and-true strategies they love. Knowing what these tactics are will keep you from falling for the most common Instagram scams.

Phishing scams

Phishing emails come in many forms, but the intent is always the same — to get you to click on a sketchy link to a spoofed website. Once there, you are asked to provide personal information like login credentials or credit card data.

Once the scammer has your login credentials, they can get into your Instagram account, change your password, and lock you out. They then pose as you to con your friends, family, and other Instagram connections. If you pass along your bank or credit card information, they can also withdraw money, accrue charges, and wreak havoc on your financial life.

But it isn’t just phishing emails you have to worry about on Instagram. More and more often, cybercriminals are using Instagram’s direct messaging feature to send fraudulent links to unsuspecting users.

Fake investments

Instagram is the ideal place to perpetuate scams of this sort. Scammers often pose as self-made millionaires, posting photos of themselves in expensive clothes, posing in front of mansions and luxury cars to perpetuate an image of success. They are living the good life and want you to show you how you can, too — for just a small investment.

Depending on the complexity of their deception, they may even have fake websites that show how your investment is performing, which encourage you to keep sending more and more of your hard-earned cash.

Other times, they take your initial investment and you never hear from them again. Either way, the only secret to their success is that they are making their money by stealing from Instagram users who believe the hype. Often times, catfishing is quite popular on Instagram, so it’s definitely something you need to look out for.

Bogus brand collaboration requests

Influencers (and wannabe influencers) on Instagram are nothing new. They’re all trying to cash in by amassing followers and using their popularity to seal deals with brands. The goal? To get free stuff and get paid for promoting things to their followers.

Unfortunately for influencers, cybercriminals know how to entice them — with the lure of a lucrative collaboration. Scammers often reach out to influencers with promises of deals.

If the influencer falls for the offer, they provide bank details to the scammer so they can receive their payment. Alternatively, they pay the fees associated with the collaboration (as seen in the screenshot above).

Instead of a big payday or valuable product, however, all the influencer gets is a scam — and a drained bank account.

Selling followers and likes

Influencers become influencers because they can offer a large Instagram following to potential advertisers. But not every follower on an influencer’s page is the real deal. Oftentimes, influencers will purchase likes and follows to boost their numbers.

Cybercriminals know this and often set up fake accounts that purport to sell likes and follows. If an influencer falls for these fake offers, they provide financial information to pay for the like or follow packages, giving a scammer all the information they need to reap their own payday.

Giveaways

There are plenty of legitimate giveaways happening on Instagram every day. However, sprinkled among them are fake prizes being offered by cybercriminals. Often, to qualify for a giveaway, you just have to like and share a post. Other times, the claim is that the first X number of respondents will win something.

Whatever the approach, the goal is to get an Instagram user to provide personal information, log in to a bogus site, or send a small payment (often to cover “shipping and handling”) to claim the prize.

Nonexistent job offers

Who doesn’t like the idea of a dream job falling into their lap? Scammers know this and therefore prey on that emotion to extract personal information from you.

They’ll ask for the typical information you need to provide when starting a new job. This can include your home address, social security number, passport data, and even driver’s license information.

Unfortunately for you, there is no job — just the headache of identity theft waiting down the road.

Imposter brand accounts

Instagram shopping grows more popular by the day. Unfortunately, scammers like to pose as legitimate brands and lure you into buying fake goods.

Other times, they just want to gather your payment information, so they can make fraudulent charges or drain your bank account.

In these cases, the scammers aren’t the brand they claim to be. Rather, they prey on your love for a brand and try to trick you into believing their “too good to be true” offers.

How to Avoid Scams on Instagram

Recognizing the most common scams on Instagram is the first step in avoiding them.

There are other things you can also do to further protect yourself from falling victim to a cybercriminal on Instagram.

1. Make your account private

Your Instagram is set to “public” by default, allowing anyone to see your posts. To protect your privacy, set your account status to “private. ” Then, only followers you approve can see your posts, make comments, find your posts via search, and send you direct messages.

Here’s how to make your Instagram account private.

Open the Instagram app.
Go to your homepage.
Tap on the hamburger menu (the three horizontal lines) in the upper right corner.
Choose Settings > Privacy.
Toggle Private Account to ON.

It is important to note that Instagram business accounts cannot be set to private.

2. Use strong passwords

There are a few rules regarding passwords that apply to all your online accounts: never use the same password on more than one account; always use a complex password rather than something easy to figure out; and don’t store your password list in an easily discoverable place.

To simplify your life, one good tool to use is a password manager. Whether it is the password manager built into your favorite browser or a third-party app, password managers help you create complicated, unique passwords and store them in a secure location.

3. Enable two-factor authentication

One of the best ways to protect your Instagram account from unwanted access is to enable two-factor authentication. When this security feature is turned on, it will take more than just knowing your login credentials to gain access to your account.

When someone tries to log in from an unrecognized device, they will need to provide a unique authentication code. This code is sent via an authenticator app on your smartphone.

To set up two-factor authentication on Instagram, do the following:

Open the Instagram app.
Go to your homepage.
Tap on the hamburger menu (the three horizontal lines) in the upper right corner.
Then choose Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication.
Select Get Started.
Choose your security method, either Authentication App or Text Message.

Follow the rest of the prompts to complete the setup.

4. Never click on suspicious links

If you receive an unsolicited email purporting to be from Instagram, make sure it is legitimate before you do anything else to avoid falling for a scammer’s strategies.

It is easy to verify legitimate emails from Instagram. Here’s how.

Open the Instagram app.
Go to your homepage.
Tap on the hamburger menu (the three horizontal lines) in the upper right corner.
Then choose Settings > Security > Emails From Instagram.

Any legitimate emails sent to you from Instagram will appear in either the “Security” or “Other” tab. If the email you received is listed in one of these places, you can be confident it is the real deal.

5. Only buy from verified profiles

Before you buy anything on Instagram, check to make sure the account you’re dealing with is verified. All legitimate brands on Instagram will take the time to complete this step.

You can easily do this by looking for the blue circle with a checkmark next to the account name.

Make sure you are only engaging with verified Instagram accounts.

6. Monitor your login activity

Get in the habit of periodically checking your current Instagram logins. This will help you thwart unwanted account access before significant damage is done.

Check your login activity here:

Open the Instagram app.
Go to your homepage.
Tap on the hamburger menu (the three horizontal lines) in the upper right corner.
Then choose Settings > Security > Login Activity.

All current logins are displayed here. If you see a suspicious location, disconnect it by tapping “Log Out.”

7. Keep track of third-party apps

Over time, you have likely connected a number of third-party applications to your Instagram account. You should regularly review these applications to ensure no suspicious connections have been made.

Here’s how to review third-party applications.

Open the Instagram app.
Go to your homepage.
Tap on the hamburger menu (the three horizontal lines) in the upper right corner.
Then choose Settings > Security > Apps and Websites.

You’ll see a list of all active, expired, and removed third-party applications here. Delete any you do not recognize or no longer use.

8. Don’t respond to unsolicited direct messages

If your Instagram account is set to public, anyone can direct message (DM) you. This is an open invitation for scammers to easily reach you.

If you don’t want to make your account private, then be vigilant when engaging with unsolicited DMs from people you do not know or recognize.

If you suspect a DM to be a scam, you should report the account to Instagram and block the account. Once you block the account, the message will automatically disappear.

9. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

There’s a reason this saying has been around forever. It usually (always?!) rings true. If you receive an incredible offer from somebody you don’t know, chances are it is a cybercriminal trying to scam you.

Heed this sage advice, and ignore the request. It will save you headaches and hassles later on.

What to Do If You Get Scammed on Instagram

Even the most vigilant Instagram user might fall victim to a very clever Instagram scam. If you think you’ve been scammed on the ‘Gram, there are a number of things you should do.

Time is of the essence since a scammer can gain control of your online assets and do any of the following:

Drain your financial accounts
Rack up credit card charges
Infect your device and spread malware to friends and family
Ruin your credit
Steal your identity

The key is to act quickly, so you can minimize the damage.

Report the scam to Instagram

Instagram, and its parent company Facebook, has been dealing with scammers on their platforms for years. As such, Instagram makes it easy to report suspicious activity to them.

Each page Instagram displays has a Report option. Just click on it and follow the instructions.

Monitor your financial accounts

It is a good general practice to regularly monitor all your financial accounts. Oftentimes, scammers with access to your accounts will initiate a series of smaller transactions to test the waters before they move on to bigger, higher-value charges.

By keeping a close eye on your bank account, PayPal account, credit cards, and the like, you can identify the little problems and put a stop to things fast. Click here to learn about NFT scams and how to protect all of your digital assets.

Change your password

If you think your Instagram account has been breached, then changing your Instagram password should be your first move. But there are other accounts that might be compromised, too, especially if you re-use the same password on multiple websites.

As a general rule, anytime you tangle with a cybercriminal, you should immediately change your passwords on all sensitive accounts, including your bank and credit card companies.

Install antivirus software on your devices

One strategy scammers like to use is accessing your devices and installing malware on them. Anytime you click on a suspicious link, you open the door for this to happen.

You can prevent malware infections by installing and running a reputable antivirus program on all your devices. If you’re not sure which antivirus is right for you, check out our article on the top antivirus programs of 2021.

If you want to download one right now, we recommend Kaspersky. Why? Kaspersky is a highly regarded name in cybersecurity, and its antivirus software works on all devices. It also offers real-time protection and a host of other security features.

Visit Kaspersky

Freeze your credit

When a scammer gets their hands on your personal data, they can do all kinds of things that damage your credit. They can open bank accounts under your name; sign up for cell service; take out credit cards; and even obtain lines of credit — all using your identity.

If you think you’ve been compromised, one quick way to stop all of this is to place a freeze on your credit. When a freeze is in place, no new credit can be issued in your name.

If you are in the United States, you can easily do so at each of the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can take similar action in the UK and many European countries.

Consider an identity theft monitoring service

With identity theft at an all-time high, many people are rightly concerned with the damage that comes with having your identity stolen.

Although no service can prevent identity theft from happening, there are a number of companies that monitor for suspicious use of your data and alert you when they notice something.

One such company is LifeLock. You can read more about what LifeLock does in our LifeLock review. You can also check out their identity theft monitoring services by visiting their website.

Visit LifeLock

Staying Safe from Instagram Scams

Instagram is a fun platform to share pics and stories with friends and family. It is also a place ripe for bad guys to scam you.

Your best defense against Instagram scams is a good offense. Understand the types of scams that are out there, be skeptical of unsolicited emails and direct messages, keep a close eye on your financial accounts, and safeguard your devices and accounts with good online hygiene practices.

These common-sense strategies will help keep you safe on Instagram. If you want to get rid of the app forever, you can also permanently delete your Instagram account.

To read more about social media scams and how to avoid falling victim to them, check out these pieces below:

Top Facebook Scams and How to Avoid Them
Top Facebook Marketplace Scams and How to Avoid Them

Top Instagram Scams of 2021 and How to Avoid Them: Frequently Asked Questions

Have more questions? Didn’t find what you were looking for in our article on Instagram scams? Check out our most frequently asked questions section for more information.

How do I report an Instagram scam?

If you think a post you see or a direct message you receive on Instagram is a scam, it’s easy to report it. Instagram includes a “Report” feature on every post and message. Simply click on it, follow any additional prompts, and Instagram will do the rest.

How do Instagram scams work?

Cybercriminals use a variety of methods to scam Instagram users. One of the most popular are phishing emails that try to get you to click on a bogus link and provide personal data on a spoofed Instagram website.

Other ways include bogus brand accounts selling counterfeit goods, giveaways and job offers that solicit personal information from you, and fake investment offers.

All scams have the same goal: to get you to give up your personal information, login credentials, or credit card and bank details — sometimes all three. From there, identity theft and draining your financial accounts are easy.

What are the most popular Instagram scams?

Phishing emails that contain suspicious links directing you to bogus websites are one of the top Instagram scams around today. There are also a lot of fake Instagram accounts trying to sell you everything from counterfeit goods to fake followers and likes. Scammers even use Instagram to offer fake jobs.

In all cases, the goal is to obtain enough personal information from you to steal your identity, hack your Instagram account, use your credit card, or gain access to your bank account.

Liz Wegerer Author

Tech journalist

Liz is a professional writer with a special interest in online privacy and cybersecurity. As a US expat who travels and works in diverse locations around the world, keeping up with the latest internet safety best practices remains her priority.

How to get bred on Instagram

Posted inInternet & Technology, News

RM 25.10.2019

Today, Instagram is the most popular and "working" social network in the world. Any self-respecting brand, especially if it focuses on women, should have an account there. Of course, money is spinning on Instagram - and kites fly to them.

Let's figure out how scammers organize fishing within Instagram.

Scheme 1. Showroom

A nice profile that sells anything from clothing to car accessories at low prices relative to the market. Photos in it, as a rule, are googled, because the account holders don’t even have such a product. And people are greedy for cheapness.

Next is the classic sequence of actions - the seller asks either for an advance payment, or at least 20-30% of the cost of the goods. Allegedly to "reduce the risks." In fact, once you have transferred the money to the scammer, the situation can no longer be corrected. For the next couple of weeks, you will be “fed with breakfast”, but the track number will not be thrown off. The account will be deleted soon.

Accounts are also recorded, as a rule, on left numbers or mails, and you will not find a real seller. Therefore, there is only one way out - to look for real reviews about the showroom and think several times whether you are ready to buy on Instagram without any guarantees.

Scheme 2. Fortunetellers, esotericists, kissed by God

Yes, someone still believes in them. Moreover, sometimes it comes to the point of absurdity - there are accounts whose owners promise pregnant women to predict the gender of their unborn child for a modest fee. And this cannot even be called fraud in the full sense, because some "psychics" actually believe in themselves.

But, as a rule, the range of services is classic: love spell, lapel, imposition and removal of damage, coding from bad habits, prediction of the future ... And all from just one photo. In general, "magicians" cash in on human curiosity. And there is only one way out - not to be conducted.

Scheme 3. Online guru

Spiritual mentor online. Strictly speaking, they are not only on Instagram, but there are a lot of them. The mentor offers life support, psychological help... But, as a rule, such people have neither a psychological education nor real practice experience. And you probably would not want to trust your mental health to anyone.

Therefore, it is better to find just a good psychologist. There is nothing to be ashamed of, but you will be sure that you are being treated and not maimed.

The main advice that can be given to Insta users is to pay attention to the little things. For example, look at the profile name: it should seem suspicious if the name does not contain the name of the organization, but a common word. That is, not “Italian clothing showroom “Mamma Mia””, but simply “Clothes”. In addition, see how and where the profile photos were taken, look for reviews and personal accounts of the owners.

Take care of yourself!

Anatomy of a Deception

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Tags: Instagram, cyber security, fraud

Instagram scammers (Instagram): where to complain

Instagram scammers are a common phenomenon. These people know thousands of ways for an active user of social networks to part with a certain amount faster. It is very important to be able to recognize such people, and if you accidentally become their victim, ask for help.

Types of fraud

Social networks are used by a large number of people who are trying to get rich at the expense of others. These are scam bloggers on Instagram, sellers and employers. All of them use different schemes, gain the trust of subscribers and lure out money.

1. Phishing.

Instagram scammers try to get other people's money in different ways. But the most popular and effective is access to cards. To do this, use special links, the transition to which immediately threatens a person with the loss of all his banking data. There are several types of phishing:

Link on the page. The owner of the page offers everyone shareware access to some streaming services. Discounts are attractive, so a person clicks on the specified link and his card is hacked.
Messages in direct. Private messages with different links, sometimes with provocative text. Instagram scammers often hack pages and send such emails to their entire friends list.

The only way to recognize scammers on Instagram is not to click on suspicious links. And if necessary, check the sender first.

2. Dating scammers.

Instagram scammers and scammers often send letters to users asking for friends. Usually a casual acquaintance on the Web often leads to a stormy romance. Moreover, such fans often have very interesting and tragic fates. Beautiful single men, often foreigners, meet women. And vice versa, men are "bred" by seemingly naive provincial women.

Over time, this intensive correspondence leads to a request to borrow a certain amount of money. The scammers wait months to launch an attack. As soon as the funds are transferred, the victim's account is banned. It is very difficult to hold them accountable. Therefore, it is important to know what to do if scammers have deceived you on Instagram.

3. Charity donations.

Social networks often raise money for the treatment of sick children, for animal shelters, etc. Most of these stories are fake. Instagram scammers often profit from someone else's misfortune. It is still better to do charity work not in social networks, but on the corresponding sites.

Many scammers use the element of surprise when funds are collected in an emergency and very quickly. A story about an accident or hospitalization appears. Caring people begin to transfer money without thinking about the veracity of the information.

4 Shops.

Clothes, cosmetics, household chemicals are often sold here. Most of these stores really exist and honestly sell goods. But there are scammers on Instagram who sell blacklisted clothes that users often share with each other. Such sellers enjoy the trust of buyers, the fashion for online shopping and the employment of people.

Setting up an Instagram store is easy. For reliability, several dozen fake reviews are added, always with a photo. There is a slew of subscribers. Then everything is standard: the buyer transfers money, but does not receive the goods. He tries to clarify the situation, but he gets banned.

5 Lotteries and investments.

Paid lotteries and all sorts of investments with multimillion-dollar profits are a classic that Instagram scammers use very often. Participation in such events means the voluntary transfer of funds to scammers.

6 Work on the Internet.

Freelancing, telecommuting, work for mothers on maternity leave - these concepts have long come into use. But most of these vacancies, especially those posted on social networks, are used by scammers on Instagram. How to recognize scammers on Instagram and a fake ad - usually "employers" ask new employees for a small amount supposedly for access to materials, a course, etc.

You can recognize them by other signs. The ad contains many motivating posts, photos of the same type and reviews. They usually attract women who stay at home with children. Sometimes job seekers do get a job, but they don't get paid. Or they have to look for other workers “for themselves” in order to earn at least something.

7 Bloggers.

Instagram scam bloggers often swindle various companies and brands that advertise their products with their help. Paid advertising does not appear or appears with a delay after the prepayment, and the promoted page turns out to be a fake.

8 Charlatans.

Fortunetellers and magicians who take money for their work through social networks, another type of deception. It is impossible to verify the veracity of their words, and the money has already been paid. Some scammers are too lazy to even answer their customers, so they simply ignore them after the transfer of funds. And those that answer are able to pull considerable sums from the victim for years.

The danger of this type of deceiver lies in the fact that their activities often harm the life and health of people. Such fortune-tellers fall on suspicious, impressionable people. Without thinking about their "forecasts", they often bring them to a nervous breakdown and even suicide. Such scammers on Instagram and other social networks are less likely than others to be held accountable.

How to recognize scammers on Instagram

Social media users should be careful not to fall for scammers. It is important to know how to check for scammers on Instagram.

1. Suspicious links.

Experts do not recommend opening the links sent unless absolutely necessary. Even if the message was sent from a friend. Instagram scammers easily hack user pages just to send spam. They are often recognized by their changed names (Instagram replaces Instaagram, etc.).

If you receive a letter from a friend or acquaintance, it is advisable to contact him by phone or through another messenger. You can click on the links only after the person personally confirms the sending of the message.

Account owners often receive letters from the administration asking them to follow the link and verify their identity in order to avoid blocking the page. Such letters are necessarily checked for authenticity through the "Feedback" on the site.

2. Anti-plagiarism.

Experienced users know how to recognize scammers on Instagram. Professional scammers often use the same schemes and texts to deceive. Therefore, a large number of identical messages should alert. This applies to any texts - from potential suitors, charitable organizations, employers.

In addition to the same type of messages, scammers often use standard images. But modern technologies allow such photos to be checked for anti-plagiarism. Fraudsters take personal photos of other people and then post them on their pages.

Tricks and manipulation. To deceive, scammers on Instagram use various psychological tricks. Among them:
Provocation. Messages are sent to the victim about his account being hacked, leaking photos or videos, etc. The recipient is worried about his own reputation and immediately goes to the specified sites. Instagram scammers insert phishing links into such posts.
Pseudo-motivation. This trick is often used by scam bloggers on Instagram, as well as employers. Positive and motivating texts are often found in a remote job offer, quick weight loss or in sales. Scammers ask potential victims, “Do you want it too? Become successful and get big money? Put a plus under the post. And then all communication takes place in direct, so that the impression of providing unique information is created.
Psychological pressure. Such manipulation allows you to subdue the victim and completely capture her attention. These tricks are used by marriage swindlers. They choose lonely, desperate people, more often middle-aged women. Usually, potential victims do not have a high income or connections, but there is a need for the attention of the opposite sex.

You need to know what to do if scammers have deceived you on Instagram and how to punish them. Otherwise, there will be many more deceived people.

There are scammers on the Instagram list, but many of them change profiles and ways of cheating. Therefore, users must know how to recognize scammers on Instagram.

Tape

This profile is constantly being updated. New posts appear, whether it's a store or a personal page. The scammers do not really follow the profile update, so the latest posts can easily be dated last year.

Photos

This safety rule also applies to photographs. The more personal images of one person, the more likely that the page is not fake. Instagram scammers usually post few photos or use someone else's.

Documents and reports

Instagram scam bloggers raising funds for charity post only the card number for money transfer. If the page is real, that the fundraiser will be supported by documents and reports. But this does not guarantee that the page is not fake. After all, any photo today is easy to fake.

Contacts

The personal information of the page owner is contained in the profile header. Usually these are links to other social networks, the official website, etc. Instagram scammers do not provide such information.

Messages

If a message arrives with a request to transfer money for a product or service, experienced users play it safe. They know how to recognize scammers on Instagram. Therefore, to verify the information, they write to the store administrators.

Name

Fake stores often change their name slightly. Instagram scam bloggers try to make their name consonant with real famous bloggers.

Verification

Genuine pages of various brands have been checked and marked with a blue checkmark. This is the way to check for scammers on Instagram. It is enough to enter the name of the store in the search for a social network.

Website

Real foundations, charities, companies, online stores have official websites. There are scammers on Instagram selling clothes blacklisted, where they are easy to spot.

Wraps

Instagram scammers cheat likes and users. You can check for fake data using special services.

The number of comments is usually proportional to the number of followers. Therefore, only scammers have few or, on the contrary, too many reviews on the page. This is a good way to spot scammers on Instagram.

All comments from other buyers are recommended to be read very carefully. All people write differently, and reviews are sent not only in direct. This is clearly seen in the screenshots taken by the owner of the page. Similar reviews are often searched for on specialized sites.

Blacklists are even easier to check. The Internet is full of anti-rating communities, where users actively discuss sellers of goods, services, etc. In addition, psychologists have noticed that people leave negative reviews much more often and more willingly.

The first rule of information security is the use of different passwords. Each account must have its own passwords. It is advisable to change them from time to time. Banking data and other personal information are indicated only on special secure sites.

A photo of a bank card cannot be sent even at the request of the bank. This also applies to the confirmation code sent to perform a particular operation. The rule also applies to scans of personal documents. Then scammers on Instagram and other social networks will not be able to use them.

What to do if you become a victim

If you were deceived by scammers on Instagram, users often ask where to complain. After all, it is not always easy to recognize a swindler, and the consequences are often disastrous for a deceived person.

1. Reset your passwords

The first thing to do when attacked by scammers is to change your passwords. They do this not only for the page on social networks, but also for the email to which it is attached. Otherwise, attackers will use mail to enter the profile. Then the user thinks how to punish the fraudster on Instagram.

2. Block the card

The main goal of many scammers is access to the victim's bank card. To prevent this, the card must be blocked. At a minimum, they set a withdrawal limit, and the principal amount is transferred to another account or withdrawn. So scammers on Instagram will not be able to use the data received.

3. Leave a complaint

So, what to do if scammers have cheated on Instagram? The user must report the incident to the administration of the social network. To do this, open the menu in the upper right corner and click the "Complain" item. It remains only to choose the appropriate reason from the list provided. For example, if an advertising mailing bothers you, then click on "Spam".

4. Notify your friends

How to punish a scammer on Instagram so that no one else becomes a victim worries many people. Experts advise any deception to be made public. Be sure to inform all friends and acquaintances about the hacking of the page and other illegal actions of third parties. This allows you to protect other users and prevent scammers from cashing in even more.

5. Contact the police

Law enforcement agencies often only get involved if there is a significant amount of damage. This is a radical way to punish a scammer on Instagram. To do this, the victim of deception goes to the police station and writes a statement. Be sure to have evidence of online fraud. These are correspondence, bank statements, testimonies.

Conclusion

All users should know how to check for scammers on Instagram. Otherwise, scammers will easily take advantage of trust and deceive you for a large amount of money.