New Social Media, Same Old Scam Accounts

It was only a matter of time before scammers started taking advantage of Instagram, the photo sharing smartphone app. Instagram is so new that many legitimate business don't yet have an account, and scammers are more than happy to fill their absence. 

How the Scam Works:

An Instagram scam, from Fodors.com

You are on Instagram, and you spot an account from an established business. The business is trying to get more followers by giving away a prize. 

 

You've seen this on Facebook before, so you follow the account. The weird thing is that the reward seems way too good to be true. In the example at left, the "Delta" account is offering free round trip tickets for 50,000 people. 

 

Soon after following the "business," you start getting messages asking you to click on a suspicious link or share personal information. Don't do it! The account is a scam.

 

This scam has numerous forms and spans many industries. Scammers have impersonated everything from airlines to big-box retailers to luxury fashion brands. With many businesses not yet on Instagram, it's easier for scammers to claim to be the real deal.  

 

Tips to Spot an Instagram Scam:

 

It can be tough to tell a real account from a fraud, so here are some tips:      

1. The account contains words like "Giveways" or "Free" in its name: The real business may already own its name on Instagram, so scammers will create a fake account supposedly dedicated to giveaways or freebies.   
2. Be wary of shortened URLs: Many scam accounts will disguise a website by using a URL shortening service, such as bit.ly. Real organizations use these too, so verify the account before clicking a shortened link.  
3. The account has no photos or uses only stock photos. Instagram is for sharing photos, so not having any real photos is a big giveaway.  
4. They promise something for free: This is another area where real businesses and scams can overlap. Be wary if the reward for following seems too good to be true. A real business may offer you a chance to win a prize, but scammers will offer that same prize to 1,000 followers. 
5. They ask for your password: No legitimate company will ask for your Instagram password. If you do give it out, be sure to change it ASAP. 
6. Contact the business: When in doubt, call the business's customer support line to check the legitimacy of the offer/account. 

 More Information

 

Abuse & Spam

You can report inappropriate posts, comments or users that are in violation our Community Guidelines or Terms of Use right when you see them by using our built-in reporting features.

How do I report something for abuse or spam?

You can report a photo or video right from the app or when viewing it on the web. To report a post:

1. Tap "..." below the post
2. Tap Report Inappropriate
3. Select why you're reporting the post

Please only report posts that are in violation of our Community Guidelines. When you report something, your information isn't shared with the person who posted the photo or video.

Last edited about 2 months ago

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How do I flag a comment for abuse or spam?

iPhone/iPad:

1. Tap Comment below the photo
2. Swipe your finger to the right over the comment you'd like to flag
3. Tap the exclamation point (!)
4. Tap Report Abuse
5. Select an option for why the comment is abusive

Android

1. Tap Comment below the photo
2. Tap the pencil icon in the upper right
3. Tap the x next to the comment and select Report Abuse

Please only flag comments that are in violation of our Community Guidelines. Flagging inappropriate content is anonymous and your information it not shared with the person whose content you flag.

Last edited about 4 months ago

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How do I flag someone's profile for spam?

To flag a profile:

1. Go to the profile
2. Tap the button in the top-right corner of the screen
3. Report for Spam

Please only flag users that are spam accounts. Flagging inappropriate content is anonymous and your information it not shared with the person whose content you flag.

Last edited about 6 months ago

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How do I report an inappropriate video?

If you see a video that violates our Community Guidelines, you can report it to us by tapping "..." beneath it and then tapping Report Inappropriate.

Last edited about 6 months ago

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How do I report inappropriate content when using Instagram on the web?

Gutsy scamsters and how to protect yourself

It was just as I thought. . . a scam. But what a gutsy one from the guy named John Barker who claimed to be calling from the Canadian Cyber Centre, warning me that our home computers might be under attack.

He asked for the computer licensing security ID so he could “verify” the attack. And while I’m no computer genius, I figured that giving him the ID number would probably give him unlimited access to my computer. I told “John Barker” that I didn’t believe him because his phone number came up on the display as an international call.

So, I asked him what  ID number he had and for his phone number so that I could verify that he indeed was calling from the government agency. Not surprisingly, he gave a fake number.
After posting a blog about this and something on Facebook, I heard back from several people that they’d had similar calls from people claiming to be from Microsoft.

And after emailing  the Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre (which is the correct name of the federal government agency that deals with cyber security issues), I received this lightning fast response:

“We have received many reports of suspicious calls purported to be from Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre in the past few weeks. These are indeed cases of fraud.  For information on how to report fraud, you may wish to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

 The Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre is mandated to help ensure the security and resilience of the vital non-federal government cyber systems that underpin Canada’s national security, public safety and economic prosperity. CCIRC is Canada’s national coordination centre for the prevention and mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from cyber incidents on non-federal government systems.

 For more information about CCIRC products, please consult Public Safety Canada’s website: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/ns/cybr-scrty/index-eng.aspx
“The Government of Canada has also launched a national public awareness campaign on cyber security called Get Cyber Safe that provides Canadians with the information and tools they need to stay safe while online, including how to detect scams and fraud: http://www.getcybersafe.gc.ca/index-eng.aspx
“You may also wish to visit the links below:
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/
info@antifraudcentre.ca
1-888-495-8501
RCMP – Scams & Fraud
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams-fraudes/index-eng.htm
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams-fraudes/rep-sig-eng.htm

Email fraud: Avoid getting scammed when you’re online

Many people believe that fraudulent schemes are isolated incidents that could never happen to them. But if you’ve read Will Ferguson’s 2012 Giller prize-winning book 419 about Nigeria’s Internet scams you’ll know better.
 

Cons intended to separate you from your money are big business. The Better Business Bureau and partner organizations investigate thousands of scams every year, from the latest gimmicks to schemes as old as the hills. So does the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, a joint operation of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Competition Bureau.

The agency collects information and criminal intelligence on “mass marketing fraud” aimed at multiple victims.
 

In the first six months of 2012 the CAFC received almost 21,000 complaints of mass marketing fraud with losses of over $30 million. Another 11,500 claims related to identity fraud/identity theft and cost victims $7.5 million. “These calls represent only about 5 per cent of the people who have been duped,” says Det. Con. John Schultz who is part of the CAFC team.
 

The BBb has compiled it lists of the biggest scams of the year, showing that something that seems good may not live up to its promises.
 

1. Top advertising scam: If you place an ad on a free site like Craigslist to sell your car, you may receive a call from unlicensed telemarketers offering to help sell your car. If you accept their offer, you will pay a fee of about $500 for posting to online classifieds you can post yourself at no charge.
 

2. Top love scam: You meet someone through a social networking or dating site who turns out to be from a faraway place. They fall in love with you in a very short time. The person gains your trust and asks for money to travel or help with a family emergency. Victims usually send money through wire transfer.
 

3. Top financial scam: Here the person earns the trust of an influential member of a group, family or workplace to use this connection to get their hands on their money. The investment is a fraud, you lose your money and your relationships could be irreparably harmed.
 

4. Top online scam: Online financial fraudsters send e-mail spam or they approach you on a social media website or a web forum. The target is consumers who go online for financial advice. Some spam will lead to an internet ad, designed to gather your personal information. A fraudster will later approach you directly about the phony investment.
 

5. Top sales scam: “Curbers,” buy old or damaged cars and sell them from parking lots or curbsides, advertising in newspapers and online ads. The buyer is out-of-pocket after realizing the vehicle has a long history of damages, a lien against it or the odometer has been rolled back. In some cases the vehicle may be stolen.
 

6. Top youth scam: You receive a text message that invites you to participate in a contest for a great prize. The target is smart-phone users with web-browsing capabilities. You are asked to enter the PIN and later an email address with a link to another site to apply for a credit card. In the end you never receive a credit card and have given out personal information.
 

7. Top computer scam: Consumers receive a call with a warning that your computer has been infected with a virus. Then an offer is made to clean your computer for a fee. The target is homeowners who have a computer with an internet connection. The result is that the scammer gets remote access to your computer and will also ask for credit card information for payment.
 

8. Top business scam: The business receives an invoice that appears to be past due, when in reality your company has had no dealings with the business listed on the invoice. The target is business owners and busy employees handling accounts payable. The result is that businesses pay a fake invoice or receive more threatening letters about the credit consequences of non-payment.

9. Top home improvement scam: Rogue door to door contractors will come to your home to seal or repave your driveway or fix your roof with product left over from another job. In some cases they offer a furnace repair that wasn’t requested or a free “inspection.” Targeted home owners are then out-of-pocket for unnecessary work or a poor job that has to be redone
 

10. Scam of the year: An email that mentions the Better Business Bureau and says something like “Complaint against your business.” You are asked to either click on a link or open an attachment. If you click on the attachment, you may download a malware virus.
 

How can you recognize a scam?

The CAFC says if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For example, you’ve won a big prize in a contest that you don’t recall entering. You are offered a once-in-a-lifetime investment that offers a huge return. You are told that you can buy into a lottery ticket pool that cannot lose.
 

They also suggest that you watch for these warning signs if you suspect that a relative or friend is being targeted by unscrupulous telemarketers.
 

A marked increase in the amount of mail with too-good-to-be-true offers.

Frequent calls offering get-rich-quick schemes or valuable awards, or numerous calls for donations to unfamiliar charities.
 

A sudden inability to pay normal bills.

Requests for loans or cash.

Banking records that show cheques or withdrawals made to unfamiliar companies.

Secretive behaviour regarding phone calls.