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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
You can report a photo or video right from the app or when viewing it on the web. To report a post:
- Tap "..." below the post
- Tap Report Inappropriate
- Select why you're reporting the post
Last edited about 2 months ago
iPhone/iPad:
- Tap Comment below the photo
- Swipe your finger to the right over the comment you'd like to flag
- Tap the exclamation point (!)
- Tap Report Abuse
- Select an option for why the comment is abusive
- Tap Comment below the photo
- Tap the pencil icon in the upper right
- 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
To flag a profile:
- Go to the profile
- Tap the button in the top-right corner of the screen
- 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
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
No comments:
Post a Comment