Social Media Scams

Social media scams reach you through direct messages, comments, and fake pages on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Common forms include fake 'verification' or copyright warnings that lead to phishing pages, prize giveaways that ask for a fee, account-recovery tricks that hijack your profile, and romance scams that build trust before asking for money.

Common red flags

  • A DM warning your account will be deleted unless you 'verify' now
  • A message from a friend's hacked account asking for a code or help
  • Prize or giveaway wins that require a fee or your login to claim
  • A new online romance that quickly asks for money or gift cards
  • Links to login pages that are not the platform's official website

Social Media scam guides

High risk Social Media

Instagram Verification Scam

This scam offers a blue verification badge or warns your account is at risk, then links to a fake login page that steals your password.
Medium risk Social Media

Fake Giveaway Scam

This scam tells you that you won a prize or giveaway, then asks for a fee, your login, or personal details to 'claim' it.
High risk Social Media

Facebook Account Recovery Scam

This scam uses a hacked friend's account to ask you to be a 'recovery contact' or share a code, which actually hands your own account to the scammer.
High risk Social Media

Romance Scam DM

This scam builds an online romantic relationship through messages, then invents an emergency or investment to ask for money, while always avoiding meeting in person.
High risk Social Media

Facebook Copyright Violation Scam

This scam sends a message or email claiming your Facebook page broke copyright or community rules and will be deleted within 24 hours unless you 'appeal' through a link, which leads to a fake login page built to steal your password.
High risk Social Media

Hacked Friend Help Scam

A message arrives from a friend's account asking for money, a verification code, or to click a link. In reality the friend's account has been taken over, and the scammer is using your trust in them to reach you.
Medium risk Social Media

Cloned Account Friend Request Scam

A scammer copies a real person's name and profile photo, then sends friend requests to that person's contacts and messages them asking for money, verification codes, or to click a link.
Medium risk Social Media

Instagram Collab Scam

A DM posing as a brand offers a paid collaboration or ambassador deal, then steers you toward a phishing link, an upfront 'starter kit' fee, or a request for your login or banking details.
Medium risk Social Media

Fake Charity Donation Scam

Fake charity appeals, often tied to disasters or medical causes, spread through social posts and DMs and push donations via untraceable methods to a cause that does not exist or never receives the money.
High risk Social Media

Is This You Video Scam

This scam sends a message from a friend's hacked account asking 'is this you in this video?' with a link that leads to a fake login page; if you enter your details, your account is taken over and used to send the same message to your contacts.
Medium risk Social Media

Celebrity Impersonation DM Scam

This scam uses a direct message from an account posing as a celebrity or public figure to build a personal connection with a fan, then asks for money, gift cards, a 'membership fee', or details for a fake meet-and-greet or giveaway.
Low risk Social Media

Social Media Quiz Scam

This scam uses fun-looking quizzes and 'which X are you' posts to collect answers that double as security-question information, such as your first pet or the street you grew up on, which can later be used to guess passwords or account recovery answers.

Frequently asked questions

Does a platform send verification warnings by DM?
Official verification and policy notices come through in-app settings or official channels, not urgent DMs with outside links. Treat such DMs as likely phishing.
A friend messaged asking for a code. Is that safe?
If a friend asks you to share a verification code or 'help recover' their account, their account may be hacked. Never share codes, and contact your friend another way to check.
How do I protect my social media accounts?
Turn on two-factor authentication, use a strong unique password, and be cautious with links in DMs, even from accounts you know.

Related scam categories

Job Scams

Job scams offer easy, high-paying or remote work to collect your personal details, charge fake fees, or recruit you into moving money.

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Email Scams

Email scams (phishing) imitate companies you trust to trick you into logging in on a fake page, paying a fake invoice, or downloading an attachment.

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Marketplace Scams

Marketplace scams target buyers and sellers on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, using fake payments, overpayment tricks, and pressure to move off-platform.

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Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.