Are there scams on Instagram? Yes: the common ones and how to spot them
Quick answer
Yes. Scammers use social media, Instagram included, to send fake prize offers, romance approaches and requests for money. Anyone in your feed saying they have money to give you is a scammer. Don't pay, stop contact, report it and tell the FTC.
- Comes by
- Social media, App
- Pretends to be
- Last updated
How it works
Scammers use social media because they can message anyone. The FTC describes patterns that apply on any platform, Instagram included.
- Free money posts. Someone claims to have won a lottery and says they're giving money away, often using a real winner's name. If you reply, they ask for your phone number, then say you won but must act fast and pay "processing and delivery fees" with gift cards.
- Fast friendships and investments. Someone appears in your messages and rushes you into a friendship, romance or a "great" crypto investment.
- Pretending to be someone you know. The FTC lists scammers pretending to be from an organization you trust as the first sign of a scam.
The FTC's four signs: they pretend to be from an organization you know, say there's a problem or a prize, pressure you to act immediately, and tell you to pay in a specific way such as gift cards, wire transfer, payment apps or cryptocurrency.
Red flags
- A stranger saying they have money to give you
- A fee, tax or shipping charge to collect a prize
- Pressure to act right now
- Payment by gift card, wire, payment app or crypto
- A new online friend who quickly asks for money or pushes an investment
- Being asked to move the chat to another app or hand over your phone number
Example message
Congratulations, you've been picked for a cash giveaway! To release your prize you need to cover a small processing fee with gift cards. Send the card numbers here or open [link] to claim.
What to do
- 1
Don't pay and don't send personal information
Real prizes are free. Honest organizations won't message you to ask for your Social Security, bank account or card numbers.
- 2
Stop replying and report the account
Cut off contact, then report it to the platform and block the account.
- 3
Check any claim another way
If someone says they're from a company you use, contact it using a website or number you know is real.
- 4
If you paid, contact your bank or payment provider
Tell them it was fraud and ask if the payment can be stopped. For gift cards, contact the card company.
- 5
If you shared account details
Change the password, turn on multi-factor authentication, and visit IdentityTheft.gov for next steps.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers get names, phone numbers, email addresses and home addresses from people-search sites and from data breaches. Once someone has your phone number or email, the approach gets more personal. Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them from sites that hold them, and alerts you when your email shows up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
More Instagram scams
Frequently asked
Is Instagram a scam?
No. Instagram is a real platform. Scammers pose as people and companies on social media, so treat unexpected offers with caution.
Is a giveaway message ever real?
The FTC says anyone in your feed saying they have money to give you is a scammer, and real prizes are free.
Can replying to one scammer bring more?
The FTC warns that engaging can lead to your feed filling with similar posts and more scammers.
Where do I report a scam?
Report it to the platform and at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
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