Snapchat premium scams: fake accounts that sell content they never send
Quick answer
Accounts that tease explicit photos and ask you to pay for "premium" Snapchat content are a scam: the Massachusetts attorney general says nothing is delivered however much you pay. Don't pay, block and report the account, and never send explicit images to strangers.
- Comes by
- Social media
- First reported
- Latest official alert
- (FBI IC3)
- Last updated
How it works
The Massachusetts attorney general describes these accounts as ones that post images and videos of girls in sexually suggestive poses, then ask users to pay for "premium" content. No matter how much you pay, they won't provide it.
The goal is your money, and often your payment details. Paying once usually brings more requests.
A related risk is blackmail. The FBI warns that people who push strangers for images or videos can threaten to share explicit material with family and friends, and that paying doesn't guarantee the content stays private.
Red flags
- An account you don't know offers "premium" or private Snapchat content for a payment
- Pressure to pay quickly, or to move to a payment app
- A stranger who quickly pushes you to send photos or videos
- Threats to share images with your family or followers unless you pay
- Profiles with suggestive photos and little else
Example message
Hey cutie, my premium Snap has all my private pics and videos. Send [amount] on [payment app] and I'll add you right away.
What to do
- 1
Don't pay or send anything
If you only got the message, ignore it. Paying doesn't get you content, and it marks you as someone who pays.
- 2
Block and report the account
Block the user and report the account to Snapchat from the app.
- 3
If you paid, contact your payment provider
Tell your bank, card issuer or payment app it was fraud and ask about stopping or reversing the payment.
- 4
If someone threatens you with images, stop and keep evidence
Don't pay. Save usernames, messages and screenshots and report to the FBI at ic3.gov. If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.
- 5
Get images taken down if you were under 18 in them
The FBI points to NCMEC's Take It Down service for nude or explicit images taken before age 18.
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 find targets by scraping public profiles and by buying phone numbers and emails that leak from breaches and people-search sites. Serus finds the people-search sites and data brokers that list your details and removes you, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer strangers can link your Snapchat to your real identity.
Official alerts
More Snapchat scams
Frequently asked
Does paying get me the premium content?
The Massachusetts attorney general says no: however much you pay, these accounts don't provide the content.
Can paying stop a blackmailer?
The FBI says paying doesn't guarantee the content won't be shared. Stop contact, keep evidence and report it.
Where do I report it?
Report the account to Snapchat, and file a report with IC3 at ic3.gov and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.