Scam category
Social media scams
Social media scams exploit the trust between friends, followers, and influencers. Attackers hack accounts to message contacts with fake emergencies, run fraudulent giveaways that harvest personal data, and create impersonation profiles to build rapport before asking for money. The social proof built into these platforms makes the scams more convincing.
Category activity
“Instagram scam”
↑ 213%Watch for
- A friend's account sends an unusual message about money, investments, or an emergency they have never mentioned before.
- A giveaway asks you to share personal information, pay a shipping fee, or click an external link to claim your prize.
- A new follower with a celebrity name or brand logo starts a conversation and quickly steers it toward financial topics.
Common searches
OpenScam · Live feed
OpenScam News Feed
Live reports from government agencies, cybersecurity researchers, and consumer watchdogs that match social media scams.
Instagram giveaway scam
Fake accounts impersonate brands or influencers and announce fraudulent giveaways that require participants to share personal information, pay a shipping fee, or click malicious links.
Verify any giveaway through the brand's official verified account and website
Social media users
Global
TikTok money flip scam
TikTok videos and DMs promote fake money flipping schemes that claim to multiply your cash through a secret investment method, but simply steal your initial payment.
Recognize that no legitimate investment can guarantee to multiply your money — any such promise is a scam
Young adults
U.S.
Facebook Marketplace catfish scam
Scammers on Facebook Marketplace create fake buyer or seller profiles to trick people into sending payments for items that do not exist or never arrive.
Use Facebook checkout for buyer protection and avoid paying through external payment apps
Social media users
U.S.
Twitter crypto promotion scam
Hacked or impersonator Twitter accounts post fake cryptocurrency promotions promising to double any crypto sent to a wallet address, stealing funds from followers.
Remember that no legitimate person or company will ever ask you to send crypto to receive more back
Social media users
Global
LinkedIn fake recruiter scam
Scammers pose as recruiters on LinkedIn, offering fake job opportunities to collect personal information, Social Security numbers, or upfront training fees from job seekers.
Verify any job offer by contacting the company directly through their official careers page or HR department
Job seekers
U.S.
Snapchat account takeover scam
Scammers trick Snapchat users into sharing login credentials or verification codes through fake support messages, then lock them out and use the account for further fraud.
Never share verification codes with anyone — Snapchat will never ask you to share codes with friends
Young adults
U.S.
YouTube subscriber bot scam
Services sell fake YouTube subscribers and views using bot accounts, violating YouTube's terms of service and putting the buyer's channel at risk of termination.
Grow your channel organically — fake subscribers provide zero real engagement and harm your channel's algorithmic performance
Content creators
Global
Pinterest fake shopping link scam
Scammers create attractive Pinterest pins linking to fraudulent shopping sites that steal payment information or deliver counterfeit goods.
Research any unfamiliar online store before purchasing — check reviews on independent sites like Trustpilot or the BBB
Social media users
U.S.
Reddit investment tip scam
Scammers infiltrate investment subreddits with fake success stories and coordinated posts promoting fraudulent trading platforms or pump-and-dump stocks.
Verify investment advice from Reddit through independent financial research and regulated sources
Social media users
U.S.
influencer promotion scam
Influencers promote fraudulent products, services, or investment schemes to their followers without disclosing they are being paid, or without verifying what they are promoting is legitimate.
Research any product or investment independently before purchasing, regardless of who promotes it
Social media users
U.S.
Venmo stranger payment request scam
Random users send Venmo payment requests with urgent or confusing messages, hoping recipients will pay without thinking — often mimicking bills, shared expenses, or guilt-based social engineering.
Decline payment requests from anyone you do not recognize — verify with the person through a separate channel if the name looks familiar.
Venmo users
U.S.
Venmo charity payment scam
Scammers create fake charity campaigns on social media, soliciting Venmo donations for disaster relief, medical emergencies, or social causes — the money goes directly to the scammer's personal account.
Donate only through verified platforms like GoFundMe or directly through registered charity websites — check Charity Navigator or GuideStar.
Young adults
U.S.
Venmo accidental payment scam
A stranger sends you money on Venmo and claims it was accidental, asking you to send it back — the original payment was made with a stolen credit card or compromised account and will be reversed.
Do not send money back to anyone you do not know — tell them to contact Venmo support to reverse the payment.
Venmo users
U.S.
Cash App Friday impersonator scam
Scammers impersonate Cash App's official social media giveaways (like #CashAppFriday), asking victims to send a small payment to 'verify' their account before receiving a larger prize that never comes.
Cash App's official giveaways never require you to send money first — any giveaway asking for payment is a scam.
Social media users
U.S.
Cash App money flip scam
Scammers promise to multiply your money through a Cash App 'flip' — send them a small amount and they will return a much larger sum. The money is never returned.
There is no legitimate way to multiply money by sending it to a stranger — this is always a scam.
Young adults
U.S.
Cash App sugar daddy scam
Scammers on social media or dating apps offer to be a 'sugar daddy' or 'sugar mommy,' sending a fake Cash App payment and then asking the victim to return a portion or pay a fee before the full amount clears.
Strangers offering free money online are always scammers — no legitimate person sends money to people they do not know.
Young adults
U.S.
TikTok Creator Fund scam
Fake messages claim you have been selected for the TikTok Creator Fund or Creativity Program, directing you to a phishing site to steal your account credentials and payment information.
Check your Creator Fund status directly in the TikTok app under Creator tools — never through external links.
TikTok creators
U.S.
fake brand deal DM scam
Scammers impersonate brands or talent agencies in TikTok DMs, offering sponsorship deals that require the creator to pay upfront fees or share sensitive account access.
Verify brand deals by checking the company's official website and contacting them through their listed business email.
TikTok creators
U.S.
TikTok live stream gift card scam
Scammers on TikTok Live promise prizes, giveaways, or cash rewards in exchange for viewers sending virtual gifts or purchasing gift cards and sharing the codes.
Do not send TikTok gifts or share gift card codes to strangers based on giveaway promises.
Teenagers
U.S.
TikTok account verification phishing scam
A fake message claims your TikTok account needs verification to avoid suspension, directing you to a phishing page that steals your login credentials.
TikTok sends security notifications through the app — check your inbox within the TikTok app directly.
TikTok users
U.S.
TikTok resume feature exploit scam
Scammers post fake job listings on TikTok encouraging users to submit video resumes, then harvest the personal information shared in those videos for identity theft.
Never share sensitive personal information like your address, date of birth, or ID numbers in a video resume.
Job seekers
U.S.
fake viral challenge prize scam
Scammers create fake TikTok challenges promising cash prizes to participants, then collect personal information or fees from users who believe they have won.
Be skeptical of any challenge promising easy money — legitimate contests have verifiable sponsors and published rules.
Teenagers
U.S.
TikTok adult content bot scam
Bot accounts on TikTok post suggestive comments or send DMs luring users to external adult content sites that steal credit card information or install malware.
Do not click links in DMs or comments from accounts you do not know.
Young adults
U.S.
crypto promotion by fake influencer on TikTok
Fake or compromised TikTok accounts impersonate popular influencers to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency investments, leading followers to lose money on worthless tokens.
Never invest based solely on social media influencer recommendations — always do independent research.
Young adults
U.S.
LinkedIn connection request phishing scam
Attackers send connection requests with phishing links disguised as shared documents or professional resources, leading to credential-harvesting pages.
Never click links in LinkedIn connection requests from people you do not recognize.
Professionals
U.S.
LinkedIn verification badge scam
Phishing messages offer to help users get a 'verified' badge on LinkedIn, directing them to fake sites that steal credentials or charge fraudulent fees.
LinkedIn's identity verification is done through the official app using a government ID and selfie — never through external links or payments.
Professionals
U.S.
LinkedIn salary survey data harvest scam
Fake salary surveys circulated on LinkedIn collect sensitive employment and financial data under the guise of industry benchmarking research.
Only participate in salary surveys from verified organizations — check the research firm's website and reputation independently.
Professionals
U.S.
LinkedIn endorsement-for-access scam
Scammers offer to endorse your LinkedIn skills in exchange for clicking a link or downloading a file, which installs malware or leads to a credential-harvesting page.
Never download files or click links from LinkedIn connections you do not know personally.
Professionals
U.S.
Related categories