Every day, we hear about new Instagram scams. These scammers are constantly finding new ways to get your personal data and money. And the worst part is that they’re getting smarter and more creative with their methods.
But this guide will help you to avoid these scams so you can keep your account secure from scammers. Now let’s see some of the most common types of Instagram scams you should know about. And also we’ll know about some precautions so that you can avoid falling victim to these scams and keep your Instagram account safe.
Instagram is a great place to get inspiration for your life. From fashion to food, travel, and lifestyle, there’s something for everyone. But with the good comes the bad. Scams are on the rise on Instagram. There are many ways scammers trick people into giving them money or personal information.
That’s why we’ve created this list of top 8 Instagram scams of 2021 and we also mentioned how to avoid them to help you stay safe on Instagram. Read on to learn more!
Most Common Instagram Scams Today
Scammers are everywhere on Instagram. They follow you around, begging to steal your information and potentially take over your account. It’s important to be aware of these scams so you can avoid falling victim. Scammers use social media to reach out to people by posting fake ads, luring them into downloading malicious software, or asking for personal information that can then be used in identity theft.
With the right education, you can avoid falling victim to these scams and keep your Instagram account safe. Here are some common types of scams you need to know about.
1. Phishing Scams
A phishing scam is when someone tries to steal your personal information by sending you an email, text, or another form of a social media message. You might get an email that looks like it’s coming from Instagram with a link to make sure your account is safe. Once you click on the link they want you to enter your username and password. This allows them to access your account and change your settings.
2. Fake Investment Offers
People will post their “investment” offers on Instagram, which could be anything from a real business proposal to a fake one. They might ask for personal information in the process.
Even if you don’t give your information out at first, they’ll keep trying to get your trust and eventually ask for personal data. You should always be careful about any investment offer you see on Instagram because it’s usually a scam.
3. Nonexistent Job Offers
One of the most popular scams is a job offer that doesn’t exist. It’s a scammer who will create a fake job listing and then ask for your personal information, such as your address, email, and bank account information. And to make it seem more legitimate, they might even send you a fake contract or other documents.
If you ever get any offers from an employer that asks for your personal information or asks you to pay them money upfront, be sure to research the website before you give them anything.
4. Paid Subscription fraud
This scam is one of the most common on Instagram. A user sees promotion for a free trial, enters their credit card information, and agrees to the terms and conditions for the “free” offer. But when they go to cancel or close out their account, they realize that their credit card has been charged for an unauthorized subscription.
There are many versions of this scam. One example is when you’re scrolling through your timeline and see an ad that says something like “Free Trial Membership!” You click on it to find out more, but then you get redirected to another site that wants your credit card information or demands that you install malware on your device.
5. Buying Followers and Likes
The most common Instagram scam is to buy followers and likes. People think that it’ll make them more popular on the app, but in reality, it won’t do anything for your account. The only thing buying followers or likes will do is make you lose time, money, and credibility.
Buying followers or likes are a total scam because the majority of them are bots or accounts created by scammers. If you were to get caught up in this trap, you’d be paying for fake followers and they would be commenting on your posts with spam comments like “promote my page” or “check out my site” without giving any value back to your account.
You might even get banned from Instagram for doing this!
6. Hashtag Games
Hashtag games are a popular way to get followers on Instagram. If you search for hashtags like #followme, #likeforlike, or #tag4tag, you’ll find thousands of accounts that ask you to follow them back to win a prize.
These hashtag games often have a theme and a hashtag. And just like the name suggests, participants play the game by following others and being followed back in return. The goal is to get as many followers as possible and earn various prizes along the way.
Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is! Hashtag games are an easy way for scammers to get your information since they require you to follow other users. Unless you want your account at risk from spambots or scammers, steer clear of these scammy games.
7. Brand Deals
One of the most popular scams is fake brand deals. These scammers will contact you and say they have a deal for you from a brand. But, what they’re really doing is getting your personal information without giving anything in return. They might say you need to sign up for their service first before you can get the deal. Don’t do it! If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
8. Bombarding Your Feed with Ads
Some scammers will bombard your feed with ads. It can be in the form of a video that automatically plays when you open the app or notifications that continuously appear on your screen. These scammers are hoping to get you to click on their ads so they can make some money by this method.
Unfortunately, these scams are often very successful because people don’t want to deal with the hassle of blocking ads and videos. The best way to avoid this scam is by manually selecting what content appears on your Instagram timeline. If you don’t want anything, in particular, showing up, just block it.
What to Do If You Get Scammed on Instagram
Social Media is a fun and easy way to keep in touch with friends and family. However, it’s also a place where scammers can easily take advantage of unsuspecting individuals. This is unfortunate because you might not even know you’ve been scammed until it’s too late. But don’t worry! Here are some tips on what to do if your Instagram account has been hacked, or if someone has tried to scam you into buying something that doesn’t exist.
1. Report the scam to Instagram
The first step to take is to report the scam to Instagram. You can find the Report option on every page, post, or direct message. They need to know that somebody has been pretending to be them, or trying to lure other people into a phishing scam. If you report the post, they’ll take it down and ban the account from ever coming back.
2. Change your password
First and foremost, you should change your password on Instagram and any other online account that might have been vulnerable. If the hacker has access to your email address, phone number, or social media account they can also use it to reset your password.
You need to make sure you’ve changed your passwords for all of these accounts, too. If they don’t succeed in getting into any of these accounts they can go after others in your life.
For example, if the hacker knows the name of somebody in your Facebook friends list they might try to get into their account by pretending to be you online. By changing all of your passwords and keeping them secure you’ll limit this risk significantly.
3. Monitor your financial accounts
The next step you should take is to monitor your financial accounts. You’ll want to keep a careful eye on your bank balances, credit card statements, and any other account that an Instagram scammer could try to steal money from.
If you notice charges that you didn’t authorize, reach out to the company immediately and dispute the charges or file a complaint with law enforcement. If the charges are recurring issues, cancel your card so they can’t take any more money.
4. Install antivirus software on your devices
The next thing you should do if you’ve fallen for an Instagram scam is installed antivirus software on your devices. It will scan your device for malware and remove any viruses or harmful files the scammer may have left behind.
5. Consider an identity theft monitoring service
If you’ve handed over personal information in exchange for what seemed like a good deal, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself.
One way you can do so is by investing in an identity theft monitoring service. The service will monitor your credit reports, bank accounts, and other relevant data sources for suspicious activity. If the service finds anything unusual, they will contact you so that you can act quickly to prevent more serious damage.
Additionally, if your personal information has been compromised by the hacker, you may be able to request new credit cards or bank accounts. This way, any money stolen from your account cannot be withdrawn or transferred without being detected.
How to Avoid Scams on Instagram
Instagram scams are increasing in number by the day, and it’s important to be aware of them. These types of scams will try to steal your personal information or money. The best way to avoid these types of scams is by taking precautions. Here are some ways you can minimize your risk of getting scammed on Instagram.
1. Make your account private
If you don’t want your account to be public, make it so people can’t see your personal account. By making your account private, you will reduce the chance of being scammed. If a scammer doesn’t have access to your personal account, then they won’t be able to scam you.
Follow these steps to make your Instagram account private.
- Open the Instagram app and then go to your homepage.
- Tap on the menu option (the three horizontal lines) in the upper right corner.
- Choose Settings > Privacy.
- Toggle Private Account to ON.
Note: It is important to note that Instagram business accounts cannot be set as private.
2. Enable two-factor authentication
One way to avoid scams on Instagram is by enabling two-factor authentication. This means that for every account you sign into, you’ll be asked to enter your password and a code that will be sent to your phone. This provides an extra layer of protection against these types of scams because it requires two sources of information before someone can access your account.
Follow these instructions to set up two-factor authentication on Instagram.
- Open the Instagram app and go to your homepage.
- Tap on the menu option (the three horizontal lines) in the upper right corner.
- Then click on Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication and then Select Get Started.
- Choose your security method, either Authentication App or Text Message.
3. Don’t click on any suspicious links
Instagram scams are usually disguised as a link. Sometimes the scammer will have a profile that could be verified or have a high number of followers. If you don’t know the person, don’t click on their link. They will ask you to download an app, enter personal information, or give your credit card number to purchase something. It is important not to do this!
4. Check your login history regularly
Check your login history regularly to make sure you’re not being hacked. You can do this by typing “security settings” in the menu option. This will show you all of the places where you are logged in to Instagram. By doing this method you are assured that your Instagram account has not logged in from another device.
5. Be aware of who you are following
There are a lot of people on Instagram who will post an ad saying something like, “help me get 100 followers and I’ll give you $10.” All you need to do is click the link that says “follow me now” or “click here to follow me.” These posts are scams because there isn’t really anything in them for you.
6. Use a strong password
It’s important to have a strong password for your Instagram account. You may be tempted to use the same password for everything, but this can make you an easy target for scammers. Your profile may give away personal information about you, or it could lead them to other accounts where you have more valuable data. When creating your password, be sure to use at least 12 characters with both numbers and letters. The stronger your password is, the more difficult it will be for someone to guess it.
7. Only purchase from verified profiles
If you want to purchase anything on Instagram, make sure the account you are dealing with is verified. All legitimate Instagram brands will take the time to do this. You can easily do this by looking for the blue circle with a checkmark next to their name at the top of their profile page.
FAQs
How to report suspicious activity to Instagram?
You can avoid scams by reporting suspicious activity on Instagram. For example, if someone messages you to send them money or shares a link that seems fake, report it to Instagram. You can find the Report option on every page, post, or direct message. This way, they can take the appropriate actions to help people not fall victim to these types of scams.
What are the most common Instagram scams?
One of the most popular Instagram scams going around is a phishing email with a suspicious link that directs you to bogus websites. As well, there are also many fake accounts trying for sale on Instagram– counterfeit goods, followers and likes, even jobs! The goal in all cases is to steal your identity or hack your account.
What should I do if I fall for an Instagram scam?
If you think you have fallen victim to an Instagram scam, the first thing you need to do is change your login credentials. If you have used the same password elsewhere, change it there as well. Also, you can report on Instagram and do not forget to delete your other personal information that you shared with your friends like Bank details and Identity cards.
Final Verdict
So now you have an idea about some of the most common Instagram scams which are happening more on today’s date. Instagram scams are a real threat to your social media presence. So it’s important to keep your account safe. Avoid falling victim by being aware of common scams and educating yourself on what they look like. If you like the article then do share it with your friends and relatives. Thanks for reading!
