Instagram scam posts: how to spot the fake giveaway, deal or money offer
Quick answer
A post, ad or DM on Instagram that offers a prize, a too-cheap item, a loan or a sure-fire way to make money is a common scam setup. The tell: it asks for a fee, card details or a login. Don't engage. Report the post in the app, and report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Comes by
- Social media, Ad
- Pretends to be
- Last updated
How it works
Scam posts on Instagram look like ordinary content: a giveaway from a brand, a high-priced item for a low price, a famous person or a stranger who says they can teach you a fool-proof way to beat the stock market. The FTC's guidance on social media scams lists these same patterns, along with ads and testimonials pushing investment schemes.
The post sends you somewhere else, usually a direct message or an outside website. There the script turns to money: a fee to claim a prize, card details to "pay for shipping", an advance fee for a loan, or a login to "verify" your account. Instagram's own help centre names these as warning signs: people you don't know or famous people asking for money, advance fees for a loan or prize, and poor spelling and grammar.
A second version targets your account instead of your wallet. Messages that threaten to delete or ban your account, or offer gifts, are phishing, and Instagram says not to trust them. A hijacked account of someone you know can push the same posts, which makes them look safer than they are.
Red flags
- A giveaway or prize that asks for your card number, a fee or a login
- Someone you don't know, or a famous person, asking you for money
- A high-priced item at a very low price, often with only a few reviews
- A promise of guaranteed or fool-proof investment returns
- A message threatening to ban or delete your account unless you click
- Poor spelling and grammar in a post that claims to be from a brand
- An account that is new, or based in a country that doesn't match the brand (check 'About this account')
Example message
Congratulations, you've been picked as a winner in our giveaway! To claim your prize, confirm your details and pay a small delivery fee here: [link]. Offer ends in 1 hour.
What to do
- 1
Don't reply, tap or pay
Leave the post and any DMs alone. A real business doesn't need your card number to hand over a free prize. If you think it might be real, contact the company through a website or app you already know.
- 2
Report the post or account on Instagram
On a post, tap the three dots (Options) and choose Report. On a profile, open Options and choose Report. Instagram says reports are anonymous. For a fake account pretending to be you or someone else, use Instagram's separate impersonation report.
- 3
If you paid, call your bank or card provider
Tell them it was fraud and ask them to dispute or block the payment. Keep screenshots of the post, the messages and any receipts.
- 4
If you gave a password or logged in, secure the account
Change your Instagram password, turn on two-factor authentication, and change the password anywhere else you reused it. Our guide on what to do after a data breach walks through the steps.
- 5
Report it to the FTC
File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, even if you didn't lose money. The reports help investigators spot new versions.
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 who message you directly often already know your name, your location or who you follow, and some know your phone number or email too. Those details come from public profiles, data breaches and people-search sites that list names, addresses and phone numbers together. Serus finds where your personal details are listed and removes them, and alerts you when your email shows up in a breach, so there's less for a scammer to work with.
More Instagram scams
Frequently asked
How do I check whether an Instagram seller or account is real?
On the profile, tap the three dots and choose About This Account. It shows when the account was created, the country it's based in and any former usernames. A new account with a mismatched country is a warning sign.
Can I report a scam post without the account knowing?
Yes. Instagram says reports are anonymous, and the account you report won't see who reported it.
What if a scammer is pretending to be me?
Use Instagram's impersonation report for the fake account. It's a different form from the normal report and may ask for ID verification from the person being impersonated.
Where do I report phishing emails that claim to be from Instagram?
Instagram's help centre says you can report strange emails to phish@instagram.com.
Sources
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