Since 2021, people have reported losing $2.7 billion to scams that started on social media — way more than with any other contact method, the Federal Trade Commission said.
If you’re lucky enough to have avoided being one of those people so far, don’t let your guard down now!
Scammers often pretend to be someone they’re not on social media so they can hack your profile, pretend to be you and con your friends.
The FTC warns that posting your age, hobbies and what you buy on social media can make you a target.
It costs little to nothing for scammers to use social media to rip you off, so watch out for these tactics:
- Scammers might target you with an ad for something, but after you pay (for the thing that turns out to be fake), they take your money and run.
- They might try to sell you on a bogus investment opportunity (often involving cryptocurrency).
- They might send a friend request out of the blue and pretend to be a potential love interest. But then…they ask for money.
To avoid these and other scams on social media:
- Use your privacy settings to limit who can see your information and what you post.
- Don’t reply to messages that ask for money or personal information. Even if the message looks like it’s from a friend or family member, their account may have been hacked. Call them to check.
- Before you buy something, check out the company. Search online for its name along with words like “scam” or “complaint.”
If you see or experience a scam on social media, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.