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5 Instagram scams you should know how to spot

Learn how to recognize fake romances, phony job offers, investment schemes, lottery scams, and too-good-to-be-true loans

Alexander Shatov / Unsplash

Instagram is built around sharing. You post a photo, follow an account, comment on a video and send a message. Most of the time, that openness is the whole point of the platform. It also creates an opportunity for scammers.

The problem is not that Instagram is uniquely unsafe. It is that the platform has a huge audience, and scammers can create fake accounts and blend into legitimate conversations. A stranger can learn a surprising amount about you just by looking at what you post, then use that information to make a scam feel personal.

The scams themselves vary. Some start with a friendly message from someone who seems interested in you. Others promise a lottery prize, an easy loan, a lucrative investment or a job that sounds too good to be true. The common thread is that the scammer wants something from you, whether that is money, financial information or personal data.

Phishing remains a particularly common method of online fraud, according to Reader’s Digest. Instagram can also be an especially effective place for shopping and investment scams because people are accustomed to discovering products, businesses and opportunities through social media.

There are some straightforward warning signs, and often the safest approach is to slow down. Research the person or company outside Instagram. Verify job offers through the company’s official channels. Be skeptical of promises of fast money. Most importantly, never let a message create enough urgency that you skip basic checks.

Here are five Instagram scams and the warning signs that can help you recognize them.

Romance scammers use attention and affection to build trust

Austin Distel / Unsplash

Romance scams begin with a stranger who appears interested in forming a relationship. The person may claim to be divorced, widowed or dealing with a difficult situation. From there, the scammer can spend weeks building trust before introducing a financial request.

Reader’s Digest says these scammers may use catfishing and love-bombing to create a sense of intimacy. A scammer might suddenly interact with many of your photos, send flirtatious messages and make the relationship feel unusually intense. Eventually, the person may claim to need money to leave a country, escape an........

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