Social Media Scams & How to Spot Them

We see social media scams every day as we scroll through our social feeds and clean out direct messages. Whether it’s a sketchy post with a questionable link or a message from someone obviously trying to scam you, safety on social media is a real thing. But are we always aware of potential scams on our social feeds? We’ll share types of scams you might not be familiar with and how to avoid them.

A graphic of text message and chat bubbles.

What is a social media scam? A social media scam is somewhat self-explanatory in that it’s fraud committed by a scammer using a social media platform. One of the most common types involves a scammer creating a fake account to reel you in. Others entice users to click malicious links or share personal information. Staying informed is the first part of ensuring that you don’t compromise your personal info or device by falling victim.

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Here are just a few of the common types you may run across.

Clickbait scams. Many websites get paid based on the traffic they drive to their news articles or blog posts, so they’ll create headlines that pique your interest, share them on various social media feeds, and make you want to click. However, once you’re there, the article has very little (or nothing) to do with the headline. While this is often nothing more than an annoyance, it can also be the source of a malicious link. For instance, if you click on an article that’s supposed to show “exclusive” photos from a major event, the site suggests downloading some new software to view them. In reality, you’re not downloading anything but malware to your device.
Online dating scams. Online dating has become a normal part of everyday life. Whether couples meet on dating apps or social media sites, love knows no geographic bounds in our digital world. The downside to online dating is that it’s made it infinitely easier for scammers to steal thousands of dollars from unsuspecting users without ever showing their faces. With online dating scams, bad actors play the long game. They earn your trust, ask for money via Venmo or wire transfer—and then disappear forever.
Impersonation scams. Everyday social media users are more likely to notice impersonation scams than anything else on their daily feeds. Duplicate requests from friends will pop up in your notifications from time to time as a scammer will steal their profile picture and use their public information to create a fake profile. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be somebody you know. Social media scammers can also spoof accounts for celebrities and other influencers. That “friend” will then reach out to you for something like a content creation collaboration, offering a giveaway, or just saying hi. The personalized attention from these scammers can be enough for someone to share information or click a link without a second thought.
Phishing scams. Phishing scams can come in many shapes and sizes. We’re often told about phishing scams in the form of an email with a link to reset your password or adjust your account settings. Social media phishing scams can come in many forms, like a direct message via a messenger app, or a spam link in the comment section of a post.

“With online dating scams, bad actors play the long game. They earn your trust, ask for money via Venmo or wire transfer—and then disappear forever.”

Quiz scams. Part of being on social media is being, well, social. We love sharing photos, memes, and playing games together. A common scam many users fall victim to is a quiz scam. Users will click a link on a game that says something like, “What will the new year bring you?” When taking these quizzes, users give the company publishing it permission to access certain parts of their profile. While a social media account might not have information like a social security number, the information typically kept private can help a scammer get started stealing information from other online accounts.
Giveaway scams. Social media giveaways are a great way for businesses to drum up interest and spread brand awareness. Scammers know that people love free stuff, so it’s easy to set up a link to gather personal information from unsuspecting individuals who think they’re entering to win a new car or TV. Rather than winning something cool, they’re giving away their personal information for free.

A graphic depicting social media connections how they can be tied to scams.

How to avoid social media scams. Staying safe online comes down to the vigilance of the user. We all need to talk to our kids about online safety, as well as practice safe internet browsing ourselves, whether it’s when we’re checking email, scrolling through social media, or messaging a friend. Be skeptical when you receive a Facebook message from someone you haven’t spoken to in a decade and they’re asking for money. It’s likely a scammer posing as that person. You should also be careful with the links you click on in your social feeds. Sharing posts with malicious links can spread malware like wildfire across your friend list.

Be aware of what you’re interacting with as you scroll through social media to avoid getting scammed. Should you accidentally click a malicious link on social media, it helps to have your antivirus software up to date so it can minimize the damage to your device. Use safe internet practices on social media to keep yourself and your family safe as well.