8 Unexpected Ways You Can Get Scammed on Social Media

In the past decade, networking platforms have taken social connections to a new level. They have become a critical medium for every facet of life.

Not just that, social media is transforming how we see and interact with the world around us, and, importantly, our role within it. It’s also speeding up technology integration, disrupting hustle culture, generating and shifting wealth, and altering life in ways unimaginable.

But it’s not without risks. According to a study by PYMNTS and Featurespace, 19% of financial scams start from social media (this figure rises to 21% for those targeting Gen Zs). You have a much higher chance of falling for fraud on networking sites than via phone calls, SMSs, dating apps, job boards, and marketplaces.

The problem is, many social media scams can be pretty convincing. They are often hard to recognize and may materialize in the most unassuming forms.

Here are eight unexpected ways you can get defrauded on your favorite social platform, so you can practice caution the next time you come across a shady scheme. 

1. Hoax Romances

Compliments, appreciation, love, attention, and affection can woo anyone into a deceitful trap. Scammers bank on these tactics when they target victims for romance swindles on networking sites.

They’ll approach you with a DM or a casual comment on your posts, usually saying something flattering. Then, they progress to flirting with regular chats. And before you know it, they’ll be professing love and telling you how much they have fallen for you. These fake romances typically end up with scammers asking for money (in the guise of an emergency or loan).

2. Investment Swindles

Opportunities that promise way-above-average returns and guaranteed profits are commonplace on social media now.

They leverage fake celebrity endorsements (using deepfake and AI), exaggerated subscriber data, and limited-time offers to create FOMO among people. 

Fraudsters can use a fake profile for this or may even hack into an account of someone you know to make it easier to win your trust and rope you into their rackets.

3. Shady Solicitations

Have you ever noticed how lots of fundraisers pop up on your feed during natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires? You likely noticed a surge in them during the COVID lockdowns, too, when many individuals went through financial difficulties.

The fact is, events that bring suffering to others make people more benevolent. So, scammers set up hoax charities to solicit money, pretending to raise funds.

To reach out to social media users, they could imitate genuine nonprofits or come up with something fake altogether.

4. Shopping Scams

Networking platforms have become a useful resource for buying collectibles, furniture, electronic equipment, and just about anything. But these purchases can be risky when you are dealing with a stranger and placing orders without physically seeing the item.

For instance, dishonest sellers can mislead you with fake pictures and information to sell counterfeits or overcharge you for low-quality products. Even worse, they might not send you anything at all and disappear once you transfer the money.

5. Bogus Rentals

Many people earn an extra income by renting rooms and properties. They could use social media for this, especially when they want to save on the cost of listing on a rental marketplace.

But not all rentals you see on Facebook and similar platforms are genuine. Remember, bad actors can also create fake listings using photos and descriptions of someone else’s property.

These are designed to allure renters and holiday goers and scam them by taking deposits to book or view the place.

6. Job Schemes

Social media is rife with job scams featuring attractive offers, “easy money”, and flexible work terms (like part-time or remote work). Many require low skills or no skills at all. And some, like fake modeling opportunities, target specific individuals using flattery and other emotional bait.

But how do scammers make money from these? Usually, in the form of fees for processing applications or securing a position. They can also ask for money as a deposit for onboarding materials and training.

Certain job schemes are phishing-oriented and can steal your social security number, bank details, address, and other personal information.

7. Clickbait

The job of a clickbait is simple—draw your attention and get you to click a link. For this, unscrupulous individuals could use sensational headlines that pique your interest or create FOMO. (Think about something in the line of “Click to claim your prize” or “You won’t believe this”).

Clickbait can appear on regular posts, ads, DMs, or comments. These are generally part of deceitful marketing gimmicks (which often will not have any negative consequences, apart from wasting your time). However, some can land you in serious trouble by, say, taking you to phishing sites or downloading keyloggers and spyware to your devices.

8. Fake Giveaways

Marketers frequently use gifts in their campaigns to promote new products or build lead lists.

Bad actors can use this technique, too, to defraud you on social media. For example, they could offer fake giveaways to phish for sensitive data that would help them target you and others for financial scams later on.

They may also ask for an upfront payment to ship your (non-existing) gift or as an admin fee, tax, or custom charge. This type of scheme typically involves an untraceable transaction method, like wire transfers, crypto, or prepaid debit cards.

Wrapping Up

Scams on social media can be incredibly deceitful. So, it is important to practice caution without taking things at face value.

When conversing with strangers, get into the habit of going through their profiles first. Stay away if it lacks posts and followers.

Scammers can reach out using hacked profiles as well. A sudden difference in the communication style or language use should raise alarms in such instances.