The following is a list of very common scams you may encounter on social media platforms. The list is constantly updated, so be sure to check back frequently. We'll provide any relevant articles that correspond with a particular scam so you can view more in-depth information.
Vehicle History Scam: You may encounter this scam if you've listed a vehicle for sale (like on Facebook Marketplace). A scammer will reach out to you and inquire about the vehicle you're selling. The scammer will ask you to provide a vehicle history report, but they will only accept one from the website they provide and ask that you pay for it. This website is a scam, at best it will steal your money, at worse it will steal your money AND the information you provided to make the payment.
Pet Scams: You may encounter this scam when searching for a specific breed of pet. There are lots of websites pretending to sell cute puppies, birds, and other pets. These sites often look real and might even have pictures of animals. But they're actually scams. The people behind them are trying to steal your money. They'll say they can ship you a pet, but you'll never get it. After you pay, they might ask for more money for shipping or other fake fees.
Rental Scams: Scammers often post fake apartment or house rentals on websites like Craigslist. They use pictures from real places but rent them out for way less than they're worth. They won't show you the place and might make excuses about why you can't see it. If you send them money for a deposit or keys, you'll probably never see it again.
Crypto Scams: Scammers are creating fake cryptocurrency websites and applications to steal their victim's money. The most common methods that scammers frequently use are "Romance Scams" and "Fake Winning Scams". However, no matter the method the scammer chooses, crypto scams themselves generally work the same. Scammers create fake websites to look like legitimate cryptocurrency websites. They make it seem like their victim has money on the fake website. The scammer then asks for more money to "unlock" or "withdraw" the fake money. In reality, all the money the victim sends goes directly to the scammer, and there's no actual money that can be retrieved by the victim.
Account Recovery Services: There is an overwhelming amount of scammers offering "professional" account recovery services. These scammers prey on the desperation of previously scammed victim's and have ZERO intention of recovering any of your social media accounts. These scammers will often post fake positive review comments from secondary accounts (owned by the scammers) or through other hacked social media accounts. It's important to remember that this is a facade in order to make their services appear legitimate. These scammers will ask their victim's to pay upfront for their services and there is never a guarantee they will recovery anything. Stay away from any user who claims they can provide you with recovery services, you can read our article on "Recovery Scams" to learn more.
Hack Detection Scam: Scammers are posing as helpful individuals on Instagram and Snapchat, claiming to have expertise in detecting and preventing account hacks. These scammers manipulate victims into sharing sensitive account information by creating a sense of urgency and trust. The core deception is the false claim that they can detect impending account hacks, which is impossible. Often, these scammers control profiles with a large number of followers in hopes that their victim will see this as a sign of legitimacy. Additionally, these scammers will use vague terminology such as: "A Hacker Database", "The Dark Web", "A Hacker Website", "Hacker Tools", etc. All you need to know is that your account is NOT being targeted, there are no methods for individuals to detect "hacking attempts", and there is no centralized "hacker database". You should ignore, block, and report any person who makes these types of claims.
Payment Hold Scams: This is a variation of the "Fake Payment Scam" that is rampant across any social media platform that allows you to buy or sell items (Like Facebook Marketplace). The scammer will explain they are interested in purchasing the item you have for sale. They will send you a "spoofed" email from a popular payment processor (such as PayPal). The fake email will state that in order to receive the funds, you must first upgrade or pay a temporary fee. Remember, the email is fake, the upgrade or temporary fee is fake, and the scammer will run off with the money should you send it to them.
