How To Protect Yourself From Scams on Social Media
Practical steps to reduce your exposure to scams on social media — including fake shops, giveaway fraud, and account impersonation.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Social media is one of the fastest-growing channels for scammers. Fake shops using stolen brand imagery, bogus giveaways, romance scammers, investment promoters, and account impersonators all operate across every major platform. The good news is that a few account security habits and a healthy scepticism about too-good-to-be-true offers cut through the majority of attempts. You don't need to stop using social media — you just need to use it with your eyes open.
Scam types common on social media
Social media scams tend to recur in a handful of recognisable shapes: fake shops appearing through convincing adverts selling heavily discounted goods that never arrive, giveaway posts asking you to share and follow, then pay a small 'shipping fee' to claim a prize you never entered, and messages from a friend's account — actually hijacked — asking urgently for money or a verification code. Investment scams often show up as unsolicited messages from confident-sounding strangers promising extraordinary returns, usually with screenshots of supposed profits. Once you can name the format, the details stop mattering as much, because you're reacting to the pattern rather than the particular story, product, or person each version happens to use.
- Fake shops using copied brand photos and steep discounts
- Giveaway scams — 'share and win' or celebrity prize draws that harvest your data
- Investment and crypto promotions, often using stolen celebrity endorsements
- Romance and friendship scams that start with a DM
- Account impersonation — clones of your profile contacting your friends
Secure your account
A hijacked account is often more valuable to a scammer than a fake one, because messages from 'you' land with instant trust a stranger could never buy — which is why securing your own account protects your contacts as much as it protects you. Turn on two-factor authentication so a password alone isn't enough to get in, choose a unique password you don't reuse elsewhere, and review which third-party apps have access, removing any you no longer recognise. It's also worth checking your privacy settings so your friends list, birthday, and daily patterns aren't visible to strangers — small details like these are exactly what a scammer studies before impersonating you convincingly.
- Enable two-factor authentication on all social media accounts
- Use a unique, strong password for each platform
- Review your privacy settings — limit who can see your friends list and posts
- Check for existing impersonation accounts of you and report them
Verify before you buy or share
Before buying from a shop you've only seen in an advert, spend two minutes checking it out: search the business name plus 'reviews' or 'scam' in a separate tab, look for a genuine street address rather than just a contact form, and be wary if the account was created recently or has very few followers relative to how polished the adverts look. The same applies to prize draws — a legitimate competition will never ask you to pay a fee, provide banking details, or send money to 'release' a prize. If a deal feels unusually generous for very little effort, treat that generosity itself as the warning sign, not a reason to move quickly before it disappears.
- Search the shop name plus 'reviews' or 'scam' before buying
- Legitimate giveaways rarely require payment, app installs, or bank details
- Check whether the brand's official website links to the social account
- If an offer only exists on social media with no independent trace, treat it with caution
If you are impersonated
If you discover a profile using your name, photos, or details that isn't you, act quickly, because the account is likely already messaging your friends and family asking for money or claiming an emergency. Report the fake profile directly to the platform's impersonation-reporting tool, which usually needs only a link to your own genuine account, and post a clear warning on your real profile so contacts know not to trust messages from the copy. Message close friends individually where you can, since not everyone sees a general post in time. Keep screenshots as evidence before it's taken down, and don't blame yourself — this happens regardless of how careful you are with your photos.
- Report the account to the platform immediately
- Warn your contacts via your genuine account
- Screenshot the impersonation profile as evidence before reporting
Frequently asked questions
I ordered from a social media shop and nothing arrived — what can I do?
Contact your bank or card provider and explain you did not receive the goods — you may be able to raise a chargeback claim. Report the shop to the platform and to your national consumer protection body. Keep all order confirmations and messages as evidence.
How can I tell if a giveaway is real?
Genuine competitions from verified brand accounts usually don't require payment, bank details, or app installs. Check that the account is the official verified brand account, not a clone with a slightly different handle. When in doubt, visit the brand's own website to see if the competition is listed there.
Someone has cloned my profile — will the platform remove it?
Most platforms have a reporting pathway for impersonation that results in removal, usually within a few days. Report as impersonation (not just as spam) and provide your genuine account details. Warn your friends via your real account in the meantime.