How To Detect A Scammer On Instagram

Instagram is a great platform to gain a following and grow as an influencer. However, like all things, it’s important to err on the side of caution. Unfortunately with Instagram being such a large and powerful tool to connect with others it has attracted some scammers. These scammers will often ask for personal information, sending misleading links, and posing as others. Here are some tips on how to detect a scammer on Instagram.

1. Look out for phishing scams

When on Instagram, it’s important to look out for phishing scams. These scams send links that appear to be to a legitimate website but have discrete character differences. Even just clicking on these links can damage your device with viruses. On top of that, these links can ask you to enter your login information, which you should NEVER do!

If you actually need to login to a site make sure to go back to the original site, not the link you pressed. This can help you ensure that you do not give another site your login info which they could potentially use to hack your account.

2. Be careful of fake giveaways

Sometimes scammers will pose as brands and create giveaways or inform you you won a prize. In this case, they are seeking to get your personal information.

Watch out if an account’s handle is the brand or company name followed by giveaway (@”brandname”giveaway). An actual brand would do a giveaway on their main account. One thing that can help you trust a brand is if they are a verified account, as this means Instagram has confirmed the account is real.

3. Don’t give out your location data

While you shouldn’t share any of your information, make sure not to share your exact location. If a message asks for your address, perhaps to supposedly send you a prize, never give them the info!

Similarly use caution showing your current whereabouts in your posts. Letting people know your location, including home and otherwise, may allow for an elaborate online robbing scheme. If you post your current location, for example on vacation, it advertises their next easy target. It’s like saying across the platform “no one’s home, go right in”!

4. Watch third-party apps

While it might be easy to lose track of all the apps you have connected to your Instagram, it’s important to err on the side of caution. Many of these apps are safe, but a select few want access to your information.

Make sure you look into the apps you use and give information to. Also, check on your Instagram what apps have access to your account. You can do this by going to your Instagram Settings to view active and expired authorized apps. There you can approve or remove access to the services you choose.

5. Question their identity

Online it’s unfortunately very easy to impersonate others. This creates the opportunity for scammers to create fake accounts to get personal information, money, or more out of you.

Fortunately, scammers oftentimes have poorly made profiles that can clue you into their schemes. If you are suspicious of someone, do a little lurking on their account.

Here are some things on profiles that can help you detect that they’re a scammer on Instagram:

Low follower count
High following list
Generic or stock looking photos
Claims to be a celebrity or brand but has no verification

6. Keep your personal info personal

With social media being so accessible, it’s important to keep your personal information, just that… personal! Your personal information is what scammers are looking for to hack into other accounts, steal your identity, and more. Be careful on your profile to avoid putting unneeded personal details on your profile. Be thoughtful when you share or be don’t share your:

Address
Birthday
Place of work

Along with this, you may want to keep your account personal if that account personal and not for your brand or for influencing. Also putting two-factor authorization on your account can be a valuable idea. This makes your account need your password and a code given at the time of set up when logging in. This decreases the likelihood that scammers can use any personal info they come across to log into your account.

Being careful and observant on social media is very important to avoid scammers. Scammers can be deceptive of their identity and use any personal information on your profile to their advantage. Using these tips you can learn to detect a scammer on Instagram, keeping your profile safe and secure.

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Alaine Meier is a blogging intern at LadyBossBlogger. She currently attends the College of the Holy Cross and is studying economics and environmental studies