Report a
social media scam.

Social media has become the most lucrative hunting ground for scammers. The FTC reported that fraud originating on social media platforms caused $1.9 billion in losses in 2023, making it the #1 contact method for scams — ahead of phone calls, emails, and texts. An alarming 70% of people who were contacted by a scammer through social media ended up losing money.

The reasons are structural: social media platforms provide scammers with free, unlimited access to billions of potential victims, sophisticated targeting tools (through ads), credibility signals (follower counts, verified-looking profiles), and the ability to impersonate real people and brands convincingly. Adults ages 25–34 are the most targeted demographic, contrary to the common belief that only older users fall for scams.

Common social media scam types

Fake giveaways impersonate celebrities or brands and ask you to pay a "shipping fee" or send crypto to claim a prize. Hacked account scams send messages from a compromised friend asking for money or promoting a "great investment." Fraudulent ads sell products that never arrive or redirect to phishing sites.DM recruitment scams offer income opportunities that require an upfront "investment." Romance scams begin with a follow or DM from an attractive stranger. Influencer impersonation creates fake accounts mimicking real creators to sell counterfeit products or run scams.

Protecting yourself on social media

Be skeptical of any DM from someone you don't know personally, even if the account looks legitimate. Verify giveaways by checking the official brand's website. If a friend sends an unusual message, call or text them separately to confirm their account wasn't hacked. Never click links in DMs. For ads, search for the product on Google to check if the store is legitimate. And remember: no legitimate giveaway or business opportunity requires you to pay money or send cryptocurrency first.