Trending Social Media Scams You Need to Know About

Social media plays a big role in communication, information sharing, and networking - making it important to know about scams that target these platforms. Scammers create fake profiles on various social media platforms and message individuals with fraudulent sale offers, pretending to be a trusted platform.

In this guide, we will talk about the 6 most trending social media scams you need to know about in detail, from how these scams work to how we can protect ourselves from social media scams. We will be sharing with you all the essential tips and tricks to reduce the risk of falling victim to these scams.

Scam 1: Fake Giveaways & Contest Links

Today, scammers create websites that appear to offer luxury items or other valuable prizes. They often use the branding of well-known companies or public figures to build credibility in the minds of victims.

The purpose of the scam is to ask victims first to send a small amount of cryptocurrency (or other funds) to a specific address, promising a larger return.  Because cryptocurrency transactions are typically irreversible, once the user sends the money, it’s almost impossible to recover. 

Scammers often promote fake giveaways through Instagram and Telegram, using enticing language and fake endorsements to attract attention. The promises and prizes never materialize, and the scammers disappear with the ill-gotten gains.

Scam 2: Impersonation of Friends or Influencers

Social media impersonation is a criminal act where scammers create fake social media profiles, websites, accounts, and pages that look like the genuine ones. These profiles are used to trick people into believing that they are communicating with the real individual, company, or organization. They trick you into buying fake products, claiming they are genuine. 

It is one of the fastest-growing concerns among digital platforms. They usually attempt to get over your personal information through private chats. All these scams lead to identity theft, damage to the real organization's reputation, and financial gain to the impersonators.

Scam 3: Fake Job Offers & Work From Home Traps

The rise of remote work has become a welcoming door for most scammers. They exploit employees by promising them a flexible work-life balance job with a high salary. The promise of high earnings traps victims into scams, which results in financial loss, depression, and loss of trust in remote work opportunities.

Scammers ask for bank details, social security numbers, or other sensitive information early in the interview process. Some scams often ask for small registration fees, product purchase, or training costs with promises of high income. They trick you into making quick decisions with their manipulation skills without giving you thorough consideration. 

Scam 4: Account Verification & Fake Security Alerts

This is one of the latest scams where scammers generate emails or text messages that appear to be from an official bank or other financial institution. They trap you by mimicking the message of the real ones, saying that the user’s account needs to be verified, and that their account session will expire within 24 hours. Victims often feel pressured to act quickly, which overshadows the urge to notice red flags. 

Scammers send messages that appear to be security alerts from a company or service the user has an account with. These alerts may claim a suspicious login attempt or data breach, prompting the user to click a link to verify their account.

Scam 5: Digital Arrest Fraud

It is a tactic used by scammers where they falsely accuse victims that they are being investigated for a crime and need to pay a fee to avoid arrest. They even assure you with a fake digital arrest warrant and appear in a police uniform through a video call from a fake police station. 

Fraudsters make fake authority claims as they belong to customs or income tax officers, which makes victims panic and act without thinking. They demand a huge amount of fees from the victims, either through bank transfer or UPI ID, to avoid arrest and settle the matter, all through a video call. 

Scam 6: Fake Ads

Many online platforms have fake ads claiming exclusive deals with unbelievable discounts, tricking users into buying from them. Scammers have mastered this scam by mimicking similar usernames and profile pictures of the genuine brand. They use phishing links to trick you into entering your personal information, password, or financial details within a form or login page. Sometimes, scammers send a flood of fake clicks to inflate install numbers.

How to Stay Safe From Trending Social Media Scams?

These are some checkpoints that you need to follow to protect yourself from social media scams:

• Verify the source of any page before trusting it.
• Check for strange addresses or misspellings in the domain name.
• Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true.
• Don’t share your personal information with a stranger's website, page, or link.
• Always report suspicious ads offering unbelievable products at minimal prices.
• Do not click on the links from unknown sources or in unsolicited messages.
• Ensure your operating system, browser, and antivirus software are up to date.

FAQs

How do I check if a social media page is fake?

To check if a social media page is fake, consider the following key points:

• Check for any inconsistencies in the bio, location, or other details.
• Genuine business pages typically have high-quality, consistent content. Fake accounts may have low-resolution images or stolen images.
• Look how often the account posts and how it interacts with other users.
• Be cautious of accounts that leave generic or spammy comments on other users’ posts or send out messages with suspicious links.
• Use tools like Google Images to perform a reverse image search on the profile picture.

Can my account be hacked just by clicking a link?

Yes, clicking a phishing link can compromise your account if it leads to a malicious page that steals your information. Phishing links are malicious URLs embedded in emails, sales messages, or websites that trick users into clicking on them, revealing their sensitive information.

This could be a login page, a page for updating personal information that appears to be from a trusted organization. The goal is to trick the user into entering their personal information. Once you click, attackers easily gain access to your account, credit cards, and other essential financial information. 

How do I protect myself from social media scams?

If you want to protect yourself from social media scams, be aware of the following key points:

• Focus on what you’re posting on social media. 
• Don’t mention your current location within the post.
• Always aim for complex passwords and PINs.
• Make sure you don’t accept fraudulent requests on Instagram and Facebook.
• Make yourself aware of the phishing scam tactics.
• Don’t ever share your confidential information through social media