Top Cyber Security Instagram Scams 2022

Introduction

As a social media platform for photo-sharing, Instagram has grown in popularity and now boasts over a billion active users worldwide. Given its user base, it’s no wonder that scammers show huge interest in this platform. Let’s see some scams you should look out for.

Phishing Scam

Phishing is a well-known cybersecurity scam which uses deception to steal people’s sensitive data such as user accounts or bank information. In the past, it mostly circulated via email.  

Lately, though, scammers have started uploading phishing links to Instagram photos. They even steal user accounts then contact the user’s friends, luring them to click on random links.

Fake Accounts

Scammers can also create fake Instagram accounts, posing as well-known influencers or popular people who offer a service. They aim to gain people’s trust, then either ask for a fee or some sort of personal information, such as user accounts or bank details.

Romance Scam

Romance scams are also based on fake accounts. The scammer will send out flirty messages with attractive photos to random users, trying to create trust and develop romantic feelings in their victim. Once the hook is in, they start asking for money to resolve an “emergency” situation.

Hacking Scam

Another scam on Instagram is the hacking scam, the practice of tricking users into sharing personal information via fake Instagram accounts, such as bank accounts and login details.

These hackers often pose as popular influencers or models to entice users to follow their accounts by appealing to their vanity. After gaining their trust, the hackers will then ask users to pay a fee or provide them with personal information in exchange for something such as free items.

Fake Merchandise

Instagram has become heaven for scammers who create fake accounts mimicking famous fashion brands and offering exclusive deals and special discounts on luxury items. These accounts gain trust because they appear to have a huge following, but it is actually fake.

The scam is usually enhanced by photos of tempting items on sale. Unfortunately, excited shoppers either never receive anything, or end up with a low quality item. 

Malware Scam

Another popular scam on Instagram is malware scam, which is the distribution of infected files and programs that are made to damage computers or gather information. These spam links to malicious websites are most often posted in the comments section of pictures or videos. Malware scams have become more prevalent within the past few years and are often disguised as ads for photo effect apps. Scammers often create fake websites resembling popular ones and post them as comments to get users to click on the link.

Fake Review Scam

A popular form of a scam that occurs on Instagram is a fake reviewing scam. This scam is an elaborate scheme that involves tricking influencers or users into creating fake accounts and posting positive reviews about certain businesses or products. These scammers then use these fake accounts to post whatever they want and brag about how perfect they are so their followers will trust them even more. Such scams exploit people’s vanity and greed to motivate them to purchase or complete a certain task.

Giveaway Scam

Another trending scam on Instagram is the giveaway scam, which lures users to provide personal information under the pretext of winning a prize, such as an iPad or laptop.

Conclusion

While Instagram is meant to be an open photo-sharing social media platform, you now know that it can be used by cybercriminals as well. Knowing the risks and staying alert for potential scams will keep you safe while you browse and also avoid that your sensitive data ends up on the dark web.