Instagram is a popular site with millions of users. Unfortunately, throughout the years a number of scams have been targeting users of the site. Knowing what some of the most common Instagram scams are is helpful, as well as knowing how to protect yourself. With that said, read on to learn more.

Common Scams On Instagram

There are dozens and dozens of scams to be aware of. One includes a fake brand account, which involves an Instagram profile that resembles a real brand’s account. They’ll typically pretend to sell items via the social media site, only to not send you anything once you made a payment.

Another scam is selling fake Instagram likes and/or follows. This is exactly what it sounds like; You think you’re purchasing real followers and likes, but in reality you’re buying nothing. You receive artificial likes and follows, which does nothing except make the numbers appear higher.

A third scam is a phishing scam. You might receive an email that appears to be from Instagram, but it’s actually from a scammer. If you provide your personal info via the fake email, then your personal info could become greatly compromised.

Who’s At Risk

It doesn’t matter who you are, if you use Instagram, then you’re at risk. You’re at greater risk if you use the site regularly and if you engage with other profiles. This is because scammers tend to try to target active users. However, generally speaking anyone is at some sort of risk if they have a profile on Instagram.

How To Protect Yourself

Avoiding phishing scams is relatively easy. If you receive an email from “Instagram,” then don’t reply back to them until you confirm it was them that sent it. Do this by going to Instagram and find their contact info. Contact them to find out if they really sent you the email in question.

You can avoid losing money to a fake brand account by making sure the brand’s profile is actually verified. Alternatively, you can go to the brand’s official website and follow the link to their official Instagram profile.

As for fake likes and followers, you should avoid trying to purchase likes and followers altogether. Most sites can’t guarantee you real followers or likes.

Remember, those are only three types of Instagram scams. If you use the site, make sure you do what you can to protect yourself. As long as you are wary and careful, you should be able to avoid falling victim to scams on Instagram or that target users of the site.