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Lots of scams happen on social media. We’re here to help you spot the signs and learn how to stay protected.
Fraudsters may use social media to pretend to be a family member or friend in need of help. It could be a random attack or a message from somebody you know whose account has been hacked.
They could also use social media to offer items for sale. Scam deals steal your money and may fund serious crime.
Always be cautious and think twice before interacting with unknown profiles or clicking on suspicious links. If something seems off, it probably is!
Purchase scams
If you’re thinking of buying something from somewhere like Facebook Marketplace or TikTok Shop, we can help you learn what to look out for to keep your money safe.
Fraudsters might rush you into making a quick decision by telling you it's a limited offer or that the item has lots of interest and likely to sell out. Pushing you to send them money before having time to think about your purchase.
They might also ask you to pay for the item outside the social media channel or request to be paid directly. This is because you’ll get less protection from an unsecure payment method.
Look out for these warning signs before you buy on social media:
Impersonation scams
In this type of scam, fraudsters pretend to be other people on social media. They’ll either create a fake account to impersonate someone or hack a person’s real account.
Once they’ve picked someone to impersonate, the fraudster will contact that person’s friends and family. They might message to say they’ve lost or broken their phone and they can’t get into their bank account.
Then they’ll claim they need to borrow some money – and they need it in a hurry.
Impersonation scams can happen on lots of different social media platforms, like Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. If a friend or relative asks you over social media to send them money, watch out for these warning signs:
Competition scams
Influencers and businesses sometimes post giveaways and competitions on social media. This could be to celebrate a significant milestone like gaining 100,000 followers or an anniversary since launching.
If a fraudster spots that you’ve entered a real giveaway, they might message you saying that you’ve won. You’ll get a link to claim the prize, but you’ll have to enter your personal or card details to verify your address. Or you might have to pay a small fee for delivery.
The fraudster now has your name, address and card details.
Before you select any link or reply, check for the signs that it could be a scam:
Getting scammed can harm you and the ones you love. The money you lose to online scams such as sold-out tickets or the latest phone can also go on to fund other serious crimes. Plus, you won't get what you paid for.
Let’s work together to stop the cycle and avoid any deal that looks too-good-to-be true.