Scam category

Social media scams

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Social media scams impersonate platform support or use hacked friends to send phishing links, fake 'violation' warnings, and giveaways. The goal is usually your login and two-step codes.

Last reviewed 2026-06-15.

How these scams usually work

Social-media scams either hijack the trust of a friend's account or imitate the platform itself. A hacked friend sends a link, a 'vote for me' request, or a story about easy money. Fake 'support' or 'copyright violation' messages arrive by direct message, warning that your account will be closed unless you confirm details through an outside link. That link opens a copycat login page that captures your password and two-step code. Once inside, the scammer locks you out and repeats the trick on your followers.

What the scammers want

Account logins
Two-step codes
Business/ad-account access

Common red flags

What to do

Check notices inside the official app.
Turn on two-step verification.
Verify 'friend' requests another way.

What not to do

Do not log in via DM links.
Do not share codes.
Do not pay 'reinstatement' fees.

Common scam messages in this category

Top scam types

Related trend reports

If you were affected

See our recovery guides and report through official channels via the reporting directory. Be wary of anyone offering to recover lost money for an upfront fee.

Official sources checked

Google - November 2025 fraud and scams advisory - High reliability

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Frequently asked questions

Does a platform warn you by DM?

Genuine notices appear inside the app, not as DMs with outside links. Treat appeal links in DMs as phishing.

I entered my password on a social media phishing page - what now?

Change that password immediately and turn on two-step verification. If you can still log in, sign out other sessions; if you are locked out, use the platform's official account-recovery process.

Are unexpected 'you've won' messages on social media real?

Almost never when they arrive unprompted or ask for a fee or login. Treat surprise prize messages as bait, especially if they create urgency.