Guarding Against Social Media Scams: Tips, Warning Signs, and Security Measures

If you’ve fallen prey to a scam initiated through online interactions, you’re not alone in facing this issue. Recently, the Social Security Administration issued a cautionary alert, warning that individuals posing as government employees are using deceptive tactics to dupe people into surrendering their money and personal details.

According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, in 2021, over 95,000 individuals reported encountering social media scams. Notably, more than a quarter of those who reported financial losses attributed the inception of these scams to ads, messages, or posts on social media.

Although Facebook and Instagram may not be the trendiest platforms today, they still boast substantial user bases with 2.9 billion and 1.4 billion monthly active users, respectively. This vast and diverse user pool provides ample opportunities for potential scammers.

Cybersecurity expert Liz Wegerer from VPNOverview.com, in an email, highlighted several common Facebook and Instagram scams. Here are brief descriptions of the warning signs for each scam and recommended precautions:

1. Phishing scams: Beware of phishing links in direct messages, emails, posts, or text messages. Clicking on these links may lead to malware infections or spoofed websites aiming to capture login credentials. Avoid clicking on links sent by strangers, and scrutinize URLs by hovering over them. Refrain from clicking on links directing you to unfamiliar or misspelled web addresses.
2. Romance scams: Be cautious of flirtatious direct messages and friend requests from unknown individuals on dating apps and social media. Scammers often rely on social engineering rather than malware to extract money. Avoid sharing personal information with online strangers and never send money to them.
3. Job-offer scams: If you come across a seemingly too-good-to-be-true job posting on Facebook, avoid engaging with it on the social media platform. Instead, visit the company’s official website to view the job listing and apply. Job-offer scams often require victims to submit personal information, which scammers later use for impersonation or identity theft.
4. Quizzes and games scams: Be cautious of personality quizzes and their potential to reveal information used in passwords or security questions. It’s advisable to refrain from participating in such quizzes or to provide false information.
5. Charity scams: Exercise caution when encountering pleas for donations, particularly those related to major events like the Ukraine conflict or COVID-19. Conduct thorough research before contributing to any cause, as anyone can create a fundraising page on platforms like GoFundMe.
6. Fake investment scams: Beware of promises of substantial returns for small investments. Never send money to strangers online.
7. Bogus brand-collaboration requests: Many budding influencers receive spam messages on Instagram offering payment for product promotion. To ensure legitimacy, request a video chat with the brand manager, obtain financial agreements in writing, and consider having a lawyer review them before signing.
8. Selling followers and likes: Steer clear of offers asking for a fee in exchange for follower or like packages, as they may result in the theft of financial data. Grow your audience organically and safeguard your payment information from scammers.

Your social media posts contain valuable information, and even your public contact list can be exploited by criminals for spear phishing attempts. To enhance your social media security, consider these seven steps:

1. Evaluate Your Privacy Settings: Adjust your settings to make your social media accounts private to approved followers only.
2. Use a Password Manager and Enable MFA: Store login credentials in a password manager and enable multi-factor authentication for added security.
3. Keep Track of Third-Party Apps: Regularly review and remove unfamiliar or unused third-party apps connected to your social media accounts.
4. Buy Only From Verified Profiles and Brand Accounts: Verify the legitimacy of sellers before making purchases through social media platforms.
5. Perform Quarterly Name Searches: Periodically search for your name on social media to identify and report impostor accounts.
6. Decline Friend Requests From Strangers: Avoid accepting friend requests from individuals you don’t know to reduce the risk of encountering scams.
7. Ignore Suspicious Links and Unsolicited Messages: Exercise caution with unsolicited links or messages, even if they appear to be from known contacts. Verify the sender’s intent before clicking.

While you don’t need to cease your social media activity altogether, practicing caution and limiting the information shared on public feeds can help safeguard your online presence. Remember that the online landscape can be unpredictable, and vigilance is key to staying safe.