Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are great for staying connected — but scammers use them too. They create fake profiles, run fake ads, and send deceptive messages to steal your money and personal information.
👥 Fake Friend Requests
How it works: You receive a friend request from someone you don’t know — or from someone you thought you were already friends with. The profile looks real, with photos and posts. Once connected, they start a friendly conversation that eventually leads to asking for money, personal details, or clicking a link.
The truth: Scammers copy real people’s photos and names to create convincing fake profiles. If you’re getting a request from someone you’re already friends with, their identity has likely been stolen to create a duplicate account.
What to do: Don’t accept friend requests from strangers. If a current friend sends a second request, contact them by phone or text to let them know — and report the fake profile to the platform.
💕 Romance Scams
How it works: Someone reaches out through Facebook, Instagram, or a dating app. They’re attractive, attentive, and say all the right things. Over weeks or months, they build an emotional connection. Then the requests for money begin — for a medical emergency, travel costs to visit you, or a business opportunity.
The truth: Romance scammers are professionals. They work multiple victims at once and follow carefully rehearsed scripts. They will never meet you in person. Many operate from overseas using stolen photos.
What to do: Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person. Do a reverse image search on their profile photo — drag the photo into Google Images to see if it appears elsewhere under a different name. Talk to a friend or family member about the relationship.
🛍️ Fake Ads and Online Stores
How it works: You see an ad on Facebook or Instagram for an amazing deal — designer items at 80% off, miracle health products, or a trending gadget at an unbelievable price. You click, enter your credit card information, and either receive nothing, a cheap knockoff, or worse — your payment information is stolen.
The truth: Anyone can run ads on social media. The platforms do not verify that sellers are legitimate before showing you their ads.
What to do: Research the company before buying. Search the company name plus the word “scam” or “reviews.” If the website was just created, has no phone number, or only accepts unusual payment methods, walk away.
🎁 Giveaway and Contest Scams
How it works: A post claims a celebrity or major company is giving away cash, gift cards, or free products. All you have to do is like, share, comment, and click a link to claim your prize. The link asks for your personal information or credit card number to cover “shipping.”
The truth: Real companies don’t ask for your credit card or personal details through social media posts. These giveaways are designed to harvest your information or spread to your friends through shares.
What to do: Check whether the account is verified (look for the blue checkmark). Go to the company’s official website to confirm the giveaway is real. If a prize requires your credit card, it’s not a prize.
📩 Messenger and DM Scams
How it works: You receive a direct message from a friend saying “Is this you in this video?” or “Look what I found!” with a link. Or someone messages you about a work-from-home opportunity, investment tip, or cryptocurrency deal.
The truth: Your friend’s account was likely hacked. The link leads to a fake login page that steals your password — and then sends the same message to all of your contacts. Investment and crypto messages from strangers are almost always scams.
What to do: Don’t click the link. Contact your friend another way to let them know their account may be hacked. Never invest money based on a social media message from someone you don’t know well.
Staying Safe on Social Media
- Keep your profile private. Limit who can see your posts, friends list, and personal details in your platform’s privacy settings.
- Don’t share personal details publicly. Your birthday, hometown, pet’s name, and family members’ names are commonly used to guess passwords and security questions.
- Be skeptical of unbelievable deals. If a price seems too good to be true, it is.
- Don’t click links in unexpected messages — even from people you know. Verify with them first.
- Use a strong, unique password for each social media account, and turn on two-factor authentication (see our Safety Guides).
- Report and block suspicious accounts. Every platform has tools to report scams — use them to protect yourself and others.