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Scams that spread through social media — account takeover, fake giveaways, and impersonation. (57 scam types.)
Scammers use AI voice cloning to simulate a panicked loved one and demand ransom before the 'victim' can be reached.
Deepfake videos and images of celebrities 'endorsing' investments or giveaways.
Fabricated 'news articles' promoting scams, often using deepfakes and trusted-outlet branding.
Deceptive apps on official app stores charge disproportionately high subscription fees after short free trials, relying on users not noticing the cost before the trial ends.
Scammers generate AI-fabricated intimate images using the victim's real photographs and threaten to distribute them unless money is paid, despite the images being entirely artificial.
Fraudulent appeals exploiting floods, earthquakes, conflicts, and other crises to divert emergency donations away from genuine relief efforts.
A scammer threatens to publish a victim's private personal information — home address, workplace, phone number, family details — unless a ransom is paid or demands are met.
Schemes structured as affiliate marketing networks where meaningful income requires recruiting new affiliates rather than generating genuine product sales — a pyramid disguised with marketing terminology.
Scammers posing as famous people who build emotional relationships with fans before requesting money.
Fraudulent lottery or prize draw schemes that falsely claim a charitable purpose, collecting ticket payments that are not applied to any genuine cause and often never running a legitimate prize draw.
Fraudulent prize draws that use charitable branding to sell tickets but never run a genuine draw and keep all proceeds without donating anything.
Fraudulent charity raffles and prize draws that collect ticket payments without running a real draw, donating to charity, or awarding prizes.
Fraudulent 'charities' with convincing names and websites that collect donations and pass nothing to any genuine cause.
Products sold with a promise to donate a portion of proceeds to a named cause, where no meaningful donation is made and the charitable claim is used purely to justify the purchase.
Fraudulent competitions designed to harvest personal data, charge entry fees, or deliver worthless prizes instead of the advertised ones.
Fraudulent offers to enrol creators in monetisation programmes, ad revenue sharing, or brand fund access — all requiring upfront fees or credential submission.
Scammers send false copyright infringement notices threatening to have a website, social media account, or content removed unless a licensing fee or settlement is paid, often to a fraudulent entity.
Fraudulent campaigns on legitimate fundraising platforms that fabricate personal hardship stories to collect donations for non-existent causes.
Fraudulent job offers in the crypto industry that steal funds, harvest credentials, or install malware through the hiring process.
Fraudulent services targeting people who have already lost money in crypto scams, promising to trace and recover funds in exchange for upfront fees.
Fraudulent social media fundraising campaigns created within hours of a disaster, impersonating affected communities or relief organisations to collect donations that reach no victims.
Fraudulent campaigns using powerful wildlife and environmental imagery to collect donations that reach no conservation project, animal welfare programme, or environmental cause.
Fraudulent sellers offer concert, sports, or festival tickets that are counterfeit, already used, or simply never delivered.
Fraudulent 'clients' hire freelancers, overpay via a cheque or payment transfer, then ask for a refund of the surplus — leaving the freelancer liable when the original payment reverses.
Promises of free government grant money that require fees or bank details to 'release'.
Fraudulent brand partnership offers that require social media creators to pay upfront fees, buy products, or share personal bank details before receiving payment.
Strangers claim you are entitled to a large unclaimed inheritance but demand fees, taxes, and legal costs before the windfall can be released.
Fraudulent fashion boutiques operate entirely through Instagram, taking orders and payments for clothing and accessories that never arrive or are cheap counterfeits.
Fraudulent fundraising campaigns that fabricate or exaggerate medical emergencies to collect donations from generous individuals, with funds going to the scammer rather than any genuine patient.
Fraudulent crowdfunding campaigns that fabricate or grossly exaggerate serious medical conditions to collect donations from compassionate supporters.
Fraudulent fundraising campaigns presenting a fabricated or exaggerated medical case to solicit donations that never reach any patient or treatment.
Schemes selling 'done-for-you' or automated passive income systems that promise money earned while you sleep — the systems rarely work as advertised and often include a recruitment income layer.
Bogus 'reset your password' or 'unusual login' messages that capture credentials and codes.
Fraudulent 'product testing' schemes promise free products and payment to consumers but charge upfront fees, harvest personal data, or deliver counterfeit goods while collecting real payment details.
Fraudsters pose as wealthy older women offering a generous allowance to younger people, then request fees, gift cards, or personal information before the promised money is ever sent.
Individuals create false crowdfunding campaigns claiming a pet needs urgent, expensive veterinary treatment, collecting donations that are used for personal gain rather than any animal's care.
Products claiming to cause significant weight loss without diet or exercise changes — often sold via aggressive subscription traps.
A fraudster contacts a victim claiming a family member is in immediate danger or financial crisis and needs urgent funds transferred right away. Unlike the grandparent scam, this variant targets people of all ages.
Sellers offer a 'free' trial that requires your card details, then charge a full subscription fee if you do not cancel within a short window — which is deliberately hard to find.
Counterfeit brand partnership offers that harvest credentials, extract fees, or obtain personal data under the guise of a paid sponsorship deal.
Coordinated groups artificially inflate a low-value token's price, then dump their holdings on retail buyers who bought in during the hype.
Bogus talent agencies that charge upfront fees for portfolios, headshots, or training with no genuine industry access.
Scammers on social media claim they can multiply your money through a special banking exploit or contact, take the payment, and send nothing back.
Fake congratulatory messages claiming you have won a prize, used to harvest personal details or extract upfront fees.
Duplicate profiles built using your public photos and name to scam your contacts or tarnish your reputation.
Fraudulent raffles that collect ticket sales without conducting a fair draw, delivering no prize to any genuine participant.
Fraudulent religious leaders and fake ministries that exploit tithing obligations and faith-based generosity to collect money for personal gain rather than any genuine religious or charitable purpose.
Malware and malicious browser extensions that steal active session cookies, bypassing passwords and two-factor authentication entirely.
A scammer who gains access to — or convincingly claims to have access to — a social media account demands payment to return it or threatens to lock out, delete, or expose its contents.
Fraudsters create fake accounts impersonating celebrities, brands, or influencers to run fake giveaways that harvest personal data, cryptocurrency, or upfront fees.
Fake giveaways promoted on social platforms to collect personal information, extract fees, or push victims to phishing sites.
Schemes operating through social media lifestyle content that recruit followers into paid programmes, teams, or communities where the real income model is perpetual recruitment, not the advertised income skill.
Fake lottery winner announcements on social platforms that contact users directly to extract fees or personal details under the pretence of prize delivery.
Fake offers of a generous weekly allowance that require an upfront payment before anything is ever received.
Fake 'apply for your blue tick' messages that harvest account credentials or charge fees for a badge that never arrives.
Fraudsters promise — or impersonate the process of obtaining — official social media or platform verification badges, charging fees or stealing credentials in the process.
Scammers targeting bereaved people with manufactured empathy, exploiting grief to build trust and then request money.