Unfortunately for influencers, cybercriminals know how to entice them - with the lure of a lucrative collaboration. The goal? To get free stuff and get paid for promoting things to their followers. They’re all trying to cash in by amassing followers and using their popularity to seal deals with brands. Influencers (and wannabe influencers) on Instagram are nothing new. Often times, catfishing is quite popular on Instagram, so it’s definitely something you need to look out for. Either way, the only secret to their success is that they are making their money by stealing from Instagram users who believe the hype. Other times, they take your initial investment and you never hear from them again. They are living the good life and want you to show you how you can, too - for just a small investment.ĭepending on the complexity of their deception, they may even have fake websites that show how your investment is performing, which encourage you to keep sending more and more of your hard-earned cash. Scammers often pose as self-made millionaires, posting photos of themselves in expensive clothes, posing in front of mansions and luxury cars to perpetuate an image of success. Instagram is the ideal place to perpetuate scams of this sort. More and more often, cybercriminals are using Instagram’s direct messaging feature to send fraudulent links to unsuspecting users. If you pass along your bank or credit card information, they can also withdraw money, accrue charges, and wreak havoc on your financial life.īut it isn’t just phishing emails you have to worry about on Instagram. They then pose as you to con your friends, family, and other Instagram connections. Once the scammer has your login credentials, they can get into your Instagram account, change your password, and lock you out. Once there, you are asked to provide personal information like login credentials or credit card data. Phishing emails come in many forms, but the intent is always the same - to get you to click on a sketchy link to a spoofed website. Knowing what these tactics are will keep you from falling for the most common Instagram scams. There are countless ways cybercriminals use social media to steal money from unsuspecting users, but there are a few tried-and-true strategies they love. You can avoid becoming a victim of these Instagram scams. They steal not just money but account access, too. Using a variety of strategies, fraudsters leverage the interactive power of Instagram to rip people off in a number of clever ways. This global success makes it a very attractive target for cybercriminals. Almost everyone, from famous supermodels to your kids, has an Instagram account. More than one billion people use Instagram each month, making it the fourth most popular social media channel in the world. Read on for tips to avoid these common tactics and the steps to take if you become a victim of an Instagram scam. Imposter brand accounts: Sell counterfeit goods (or never deliver the promised goods at all) under the guise of a popular brand. Nonexistent job offers: Seek personal information from you, like your home address, driver’s license info, and other data as part of the ‘hiring’ process.Giveaways: Entice you to try and win a prize, but then you’ll be asked to provide personal information or payment to claim your winnings.Selling followers and likes: Ask you to pay a nominal fee, but your financial data gets stolen when you send financial details.Bogus brand collaboration requests: Offer to pay you for promoting their products then steal your financial data when you provide them.Fake investment offers: Promise you a great return for just a small investment.Phishing emails: Contain suspicious links that take you to bogus websites where you are prompted to enter your Instagram login credentials or credit card information.Cybercriminals know this and have several tricks up their sleeves to infiltrate your account and steal your personal information. Instagram is one of the world’s most popular social media channels.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |