12 Instagram Scams & Frauds: How to Avoid and Stay Safe

Posted on: Jul 2, 2024 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

12 Instagram Scams & Frauds: How to Avoid and Stay Safe

The increased usage of cyber power has become the signature of the era. However, this has also risen and revolutionized the nature of frauds and scams. Such illegal activities have also been digitized to a significant extent. Nowadays digital scams have become more popular.

People are very eager to share their personal details and achievements on social media. These scamsters tend to utilize such information to fulfill illegal activities.

You can ensure to invest in cyber insurance to keep yourself protected. To ensure complete family protection, cyber insurance for the family can come to your aid. As a working professional, you can specifically opt for cyber insurance for working professional. Such insurance plans can act as a shield and protect you from cyber damages.

In this article, we will specifically focus on Instagram scams and frauds.

What are Instagram scams?

For most users, Instagram is the place for making and watching entertaining reels and enhancing connectivity. However, that’s not all. Cyber scamsters utilise this app for online tricks, using various forms of Instagram scams.

Some of the most popular Instagram scams include:

1. Influencer scam:

This includes fraudulent Instagram accounts with too many fake likes and followers, racy profiles, and financial promotions. These are designed to dupe you.

2. Phishing scam:

This often includes account closure warnings, requests to giveaway login credentials and passwords or alerts for verifying “suspicious activities”. They steal your data and eventually blackmail you for finances or simply access your bank account to drain it.

3. Fake jobs scam:

Fake job promotion has become very popular on Instagram, especially after the pandemic outbreak. The message as (fraud) recruiters, uses phoney job links and ask for personal information to steal it and drain your bank accounts.

4. Music promotion scam:

The scammers DM fake music promotion accounts and ask financial favour for a promotional post, claiming to enhance the music streams. They usually use bot accounts and siphon off away with your money.

5. Sponsorship scam:

The scammers pose as legitimate brand representatives and DM from fake accounts. They offer you to pay well for advertisements and requests for intimate personal information. They eventually steal your personal as well as financial information.

6. Giveaway and lottery scam:

This is yet another very popular Instagram fraud, where they congratulate you for winning a hefty lottery amount. They provide some fishy links to claim the winning amount. Once you click, you lose control over your personal information and even your financial database.

7. Crypto scam:

Here, they usually DM from any fake account and promise to make you rich through crypto transactions and request payment and personal information.

8. Romance scams:

These are also termed catfishing. The scammers usually DM from a fake account promise long-term relationships and request gifts and payments. They often utilise several social engineering tricks to manipulate you for sharing personal information and money.

9. Investment scam:

They target people who usually appear to enjoy a comparatively luxurious lifestyle. They promise guaranteed returns and assured financial gains and requests for investment, often using digital and mobile payment apps. Once you make the payment, they are gone.

10. Fake product scam:

Online shopping is a very popular Instagram scam. They post ads for fake products, with sketchy links and eventually request unnecessary personal information to complete the purchase. Once they get access to these significant details, you may lose your access to your Instagram account and may never receive the product you ordered.

11. Paid subscription scam:

This often includes a discounted subscription or lifetime access to certain services, fraud links to copycat sites, or payment and/or personal information requests. It usually includes subscriptions for Netflix, Xbox Live, etc. Never sign up for these except for their official website.

12. Blackmail scam:

Here, the fraudsters may blackmail you by threatening you to release intimate personal details, payment orders, or claims that they have easy access to your personal files. It is seen that often they do not have any of the details they claim to have. They simply use it to fulfil their demands.

Scammed on Instagram: what to do next?

If you are duped on Instagram, you can exercise the following steps:

1. Report and block the concerned Instagram account

2. Lodge a complaint at the National Cyber Crime Cell

3. Make a police complaint

4. You may also contact and report the issue to the Consumer Forum

How to protect yourself from Instagram scams?

You must note that even your private Instagram account is far from being private. Instagram records several pieces of information like your content, messages, features and apps you usually use, transactions and purchases, hashtags, demographic information, etc. You must exercise these safety settings to prevent yourself from falling into Instagram scam traps:

1. Go to Settings>Security>Two-factor authentication, and turn it on

2. Set a strong password

3. Set up a reliable VPN to keep your personal information safe

4. Go to Settings>Privacy>Hidden words to hide offensive comments

5. Go to Settings>Privacy>Limits and limit the trolls. You can mute or restrict certain channels or profiles based on your choice.

6. Go to Settings>Ads and simply toggle it off to limit data mining.

7. Before making any live Instagram post, ensure that you do not share your contact details, address, vehicle number plate, etc. You can utilise virtual stickers for this.

8. Tap “No” for Instagram pop-up asking your permission to track your activity across other apps.

FAQs

1. How do I set my personal Instagram account private?

To set your Instagram account private, go to Settings>Privacy and toggle the tab beside Private Account.

2. How to report bullying on Instagram?

If you are bullied on Instagram, you can click on the menu icon located at the upper right side of the concerned post and then tap “report”.

3. What happens when I make my personal Instagram account private?

Once you make your Instagram account private, you need to approve your followers individually, if you wish to. Only the followers you have accepted can view the stories and reels that you have posted. Your account does not have public visibility once you make it private.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, it is evident that you have to exercise cautiousness and control while using Instagram. Your personal caution is the principal key to keeping yourself safe. Always keep yourself updated and cross-check every piece of information that you share on such a popular public platform. Avoid sharing any intimate personal information and details and avoid connecting with strangers.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

Safeguarding Your Family Online: The Role of Cyber Insurance in Combatting Social Media Scam

What to do if You’ve been Scammed Online?

Avoid Phishing Scams with the Help of 10 Easy Methods

All You Need to Know for Social Media Security

5+ Common Job Scams & How to Avoid Them!