Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms out there that has also become a central social trading platform for many vendors out there. The reason why many vendors prefer Instagram over other social media platforms is because of Instagram’s user base and the success rate of Instagram to convert conversion into leads. But as the number of vendors rose on the platform, so has the number of scam activities.
The app is actively used by over 1 billion users who use this platform every day to share their photos and connect with others. Unfortunately, in recent times have seen an increased number of scam accounts on the platform. Today, we will be sharing with you some methods that will help you avoid scams on Instagram.
Fake Giveaways
It is true that there are a lot of legitimate giveaways and free promotions available on Instagram but there has been an increase in fake giveaways on the platform that promise non-existent prizes. These giveaways usually try to copy big brand names and ask users to share, like, and comment on the post in order to have a better chance of winning. These fake giveaways were discussed actively on Omegle to let the users know.
These giveaways claim to draw you in and then they announce you as a winner but the twist here is that they demand delivery fees from you for a non-existent and fake gift that will be “soon” delivered to you. These fake giveaways try to scam you of your money and when they fail to do so, they harvest your personal information or add credibility to their account since you follow their account.
Phishing & Brand Ambassador Scams
Another type of scam that is very popular on Instagram is the Phishing scam. These scams include a fake brand account DMing users and asking them to open the link to verify their account, submit personal information, or ask you to become a brand ambassador. These DMs are obviously fake because no one would contact you in such a manner and ask you to become a brand ambassador instantly.
If you reply to such DMs then they will ask you to hurry up and follow the given link or contact them because there are only a few slots left that will be soon filled out. Always avoid such messages and ignore them without giving a response. If you follow the link and enter your account information or account password then the scammer will get access to your account and lock you out of your account.
Fake Instagram Followers & Likes
Instagram followers have got a special place in brand promotion because those influencers that have got many followers can earn decent amounts of money just by promoting products of different companies on their profiles and stories. The more followers that an account has, the more money he/she will be able to make.
Scammers were quick to capitalize on this opportunity and came up with a new business model of scamming people by providing them Instagram followers and likes. Scammers sell cheap followers and likes in bulk to increase the number of followers. The followers consist of usually fake accounts or bot accounts that are set up specifically for the purpose of defrauding users. This scam has become so popular that you can even find users on Ometv talking about these fake followers and how they were defrauded.
Fake Investment Scams
Fake investment scams are also on the rise on Instagram and there have been many cases reported of people falling victim to these fake investment scams on Instagram. But even after so many cases are reported, there are many people who are embarrassed to admit to falling into such obvious scams, which is why most of these scams go unreported. But you should know that they are on Instagram and someday you will be approached by someone and in that case, you shouldn’t fall victim to such a scam where someone is asking for an investment from you.
Scammers will approach you through an advertising or marketing account, claiming to make hundreds and thousands of dollars per day. They will ask you for an initial investment which they will use to trade on the stock market. If you happen to make that investment then you will most probably get robbed of it and there will be very little to no chance of getting your money again.
There are various legitimate accounts and opportunities available on Instagram and sometimes, you can even think of a legitimate account as a scam. So, always do your research and never act too quickly on anything that you end up regretting your decision.