While social media is a fantastic way to keep in touch or interact with people, social media scams are everywhere.
Social media scams take many forms, and many are native to one particular platform as Facebook scams, Twitter scams, Instagram scams (separate categories), and more are operating and trying to fleece people of money or use their personal information for nefarious purposes.
Facebook scams include messages from fake profiles, malware hidden in Facebook apps and games that are part of phishing attacks, and classified ad scams in the Facebook Marketplace.
Twitter scams can include emails sent from “Twitter,” and links in messages that are part of phishing attacks.
Multi-Level marketing scams are also common on social media and their empty promises of easy riches.
Social media can be wonderful, but be careful. Keep your eye on this space, and learn about the scams on social media as they emerge.
How the scam works: (with video below) We have all arrived home from work or running errands to find the familiar looking UPS tag hanging on our door. But with the majority of shipping business taking place online, seeing the brown and gold logo in your email inbox isn’t uncommon (see image). Beware of opening […]
How the scam works: You are on Facebook and a shocking title about a celebrity catches your eye: "Paul Walker's last seconds in the car", "Jackie Chan died after performing stunt", "Morgan Freeman is dead", or "Katy Perry sex tape leaked!" The thumbnail is very graphic and you might want to see the content. There […]
Fake Pinterest Prizes: How They Work (with video below) Technology is the way of the world today and the internet itself has opened a huge door for internet scammers. Pinterest is gaining popularity and reports confirm numerous survey scams are making a home on the Pinterest site, where people share their interests through photographs […]
How The Scam Works: (with video below) Scammers send out a false message stating that if you 'share' or 'like' a photo of a desperate child he/she will receive the transplant they are in dire need of. The image with the baby is stolen from somebody else's page. Besides bringing a ton of views to […]
How the scam works: (with explanatory video below) Here's a scam that posts an NSFW (Not Safe For Work) image on Facebook or Twitter stating that 99% – or any other high percentage – of people can't watch this video for more than 25 seconds. Of course, as most of us are curious creatures, we click away. […]
How the scam works: (with video below) This new Facebook scam has a trickle-down effect and entices users to install a rough application program. After clicking on the link 'What Does Your Name Mean' it's placed on your profile automatically. What happens is the link shoots you to a Facebook page urging you to install […]
How the scam works: (with video below) This scam is back and is banking again on people's willingness to make changes to their Facebook timeline. Cybercrooks have taken full advantage of this mixed bag of emotions by posting scam messages suggesting people can remove or disable this timeline. How does the scam work? Watch the […]
How the scam works: A textbook scam is out there tearing up the internet waves claiming that four million textbooks are available for download, for less than $50. Nice bait, since the average college student is spending between five and eight hundred dollars per semester on books. Unfortunately these scammers are in far off places […]
How the scam works: Scammers manage to convince people that Facebook stocks are too good to pass up. Smooth talking and aggressive in style, crooks are reported to persuade victims to pay thousands of dollars for an nonexistent investment. The scammers approach their victims either by email or Facebook messages and send them to fake […]
Facebook Gold Membership Scam: How It Works Scam artists claim to be Facebook representatives and advertise on social media that selected people – including you! – have attained 100% Gold Status Membership, meaning they qualify for exclusive membership benefits including extra security, awards, close contact with celebrity members, all of which is fake. The question […]
How the scam works: Scammers often post links on Facebook or Twitter, using fake images and titles such as: “Girl killed by husband just because she kissed another men”, “Obama punched a guy”, “Girl kills herself after dad yelling at her”, “Surfer attacked by shark”, or “You won’t believe what this guy did after his […]
How the scam works: Scammers find their victims on sites like Facebook, Twitter, eHarmony, Match.com and start an online dating adventure, slowly getting their trust. They pose as soldiers in Iraq and send pictures to their victims, in which they are holding babies or playing with local kids. The pictures really impress the ladies, but […]
How the scam works: The Steroids Scam comes in many different variations, but here are the two most popular ones: Scenario 1. The scammers advertise their products as a “free trial” and require that you pay only for the shipment. What will happen is you will pay the amount and you’ll get nothing – or […]
How the scam works: You've become something of a minor Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube sensation. You've posted a few videos here and there and they're getting thousands of hits. You're even considering YouTube's affiliate program, which pays you a percentage of the ad revenue if you get enough views to your video. To get your […]
How the scam works: You come across an ad that catches your eye, as someone whose teeth have yellowed from years of smoking: “Read this before you think of cleaning your teeth again”. You click the banner and it takes you to a site filled with testimonials and “before and after” shots. You have been […]
How the scam works: Let’s say you have been a long time Conan O’Brien fan. You “like” his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter. One day, you get a message or a letter informing you that you won an invite for two – to attend a free Conan O’Brien show next month, as a […]
How the scam works: Never open a Twitter mention notification (of you) coming from somebody who has a very sexy woman as a profile picture. Since Twitter doesn’t allow users to send direct messages to somebody who is not following them, the scammers tag you in their spamming posts, in order to get your attention. […]
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