Instagram is one of the largest social media platforms globally right now. What started as a simple photo-sharing program has become a lucrative choice for social media influencers who operate across various niches? Unfortunately, the money earned by Instagram influencers has attracted the attention of many malicious, or hackers. Users unaware of the prevalent scams on the platform tend to get their accounts hacked and their money stolen in the worst case.
Why Should You Worry About Instagram Scams?
Several Instagram scams are mainly about gaining likes and followers. While these scams are fraudulent, the only bad thing that comes out of them is that the pages of the scammers are becoming more believable. In the long run, these scams do not do much harm to users. However, there are many other scams whose sole purpose is to steal personal information from people. Compared to the previous scams, these scams are much more dangerous. Once users’ data is stolen, the scammers can use that information to indulge in illegal activities without the users’ knowledge.
Nowadays, Instagram also allows for financial transactions, enabling scammers to steal credit card details, debit cards, and digital wallets. Although the people on Facebook are doing everything to secure Instagram, users can still fall prey to scammers if they don’t care. We would like to tell you about our services at Social Point. At SocialPoint.ca, you can grow your Instagram page with buying likes & followers from Instagram.
The best security tips
Scammers can take their own sweet time to build relationships with users and then catch them when they are most vulnerable. However, there are a few ways Instagram users can protect their accounts. So, if you are an Instagram user who depends on the platform for your maintenance, read on to know the most helpful tips to protect your Insta account from scammers.
Reply only to messages that come from verified accounts
Controlled Instagram accounts have blue marks next to their usernames, but fake Instagram accounts do not. So if you receive a letter from an unchecked account, don’t reply.
Monitor your followers
On Instagram, both users and brands are always looking to increase the number of their followers. If you are looking to increase number of followers, then buy Instagram followers Canada from best site. More Instagram followers mean more prominence and the opportunity to make more lucrative deals. However, when you allow strangers to follow your Instagram account, you risk being a scam. Pay special attention to strangers trying to build relationships or gain your trust. Don’t waste time blocking strangers if you get a hint of something suspicious. Also, it is wise to be careful against strangers who do not have any reciprocal followers in common with you.
Be careful when replying to strange messages from familiar followers
Your followers’ Instagram accounts are likely to fall into scams like yours. So if you’re getting a suspicious message from followers you know personally, it’s time to be careful. In such a scenario, your best bet would be to contact the followers directly and ask them to confirm whether they sent the suspicious messages. If they do not remember to send these messages, you should ask them to act immediately. They could report their respective accounts and warn the users and brands that follow them and those they are following.
Don’t log in to your Insta account with messages
One of the most popular Instagram account phishing methods is to send links to users, asking them to log in to their accounts by clicking on the links. If you see a lucrative offer in the message, you may be tempted to click on the link. However, clicking on this link will probably transfer your login credentials to a scammer. So, whenever you need to log in to your Instagram account, use the official app or URL. We recommend following the same practice to log in to your social media and email accounts.
Enable multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication is an impressive security feature available on the most prominent social media websites. However, it is usually not enabled by default. The function works by authenticating account logins through a secondary gateway. For example, you may be required to enter a one-time password (OTP) sent to your phone after entering your login credentials. This ensures that the individual login to your account is none other than you. Most programs and websites offer several multi-factor authentication options such as email, text messaging, biometrics, and in-app incentives. So you can choose the most convenient option at your disposal.
Use superior antivirus
This is perhaps the most obvious point in this list of tips, but you would be surprised to know that many users access the internet without high-quality antivirus software. Although many free options are offered, we recommend purchasing high-quality antivirus software. Its security features will help you avoid problems, especially if you accidentally click on a link with malware embedded in it. Today, many antivirus software developers also offer subscription-based services.
Kinds of Instagram scams to be aware of
In addition to Instagram account phishing, where scammers extract personal information from users and their followers, some other scams have appeared on Instagram. Let’s take a closer look at them:
- Branded Accounts: A fake branded account will usually advertise fake fashions and lifestyles and good discounts that are too good to be true. The scammers use the money a user pays for these products to buy followers and likes, which adds credibility to the business fraud.
- Gifts: Not all gifts on Instagram are fake. However, some usually promise non-existent rewards to users who engage in their posts with comments or likes or follow their pages. The real purpose of these scammers is to increase Instagram engagement on their pages which they exploit to make their scams seem credible on the surface. Donations are often combined with phishing scams for stealing personal information.
- Fake lotteries: Fake lottery scams work like this – the scammers contact users claiming they have won a big reward. However, users are asked by the scammers to pay a fee to receive the tips. Once the scammers collect the user fee, they disappear.
- False subscription offers: The increase in subscription-based services has resulted in many fraudulent subscription offers. Scammers make users think they are subscribing to movie or music streaming services. They offer incredible discounts that tempt users to part with their money. Once the subscription fees are collected, the users are left high and dry.