Instagram Scams: How to Spot the Common Ones
Instagram scams by the numbers: the FTC's 2025 losses, the DMs scammers send, fake brand deals, the copyright ransom scam, and what to do if you paid.
People told the FTC they lost $2.1 billion in 2025 to scams that started on social media, about eight times the 2020 figure. Instagram came third by money lost, after Facebook and WhatsApp. Most Instagram scams run on a few scripts: a message that rushes you, an offer that wants money first, or a link that asks you to log in. We sell followers, likes and views, so we've also covered the scams in our own corner of the market.
Quick Answer: The common Instagram scams are fake shops in ads, investment pitches, romance scams, fake brand deals, and phishing messages that say your account broke a rule. The tells repeat. A stranger moves you off Instagram, asks for your password or a login code, or wants payment by gift card, crypto or wire. Report the account in the app. If you've lost money in the US, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and call your card company the same day. Legitimate services like HCLOUT never require your password, offer a free tier, and have transparent review histories.
"Instagram scams" gets about 22,200 Google searches a month, up 20% in recent months, and "instagram scam messages" about 9,900, by Google's Keyword Planner on October 24, 2026.
How much do social media scams cost?
| Year | Reported losses |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $261 million |
| 2021 | $789 million |
| 2022 | $1.2 billion |
| 2023 | $1.5 billion |
| 2024 | $1.9 billion |
| 2025 | $2.1 billion |
Losses on FTC fraud reports that named social media as the way the scam began, from the FTC's data spotlight of April 27, 2026, read through our server on October 24, 2026.
In 2025, "nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam said it started on social media," the FTC wrote. Investment scams took $1.1 billion of that, more than half. Shopping scams were the most reported. More than 40% of people who lost money said it started with an order from an ad. "The real losses are likely much higher," the FTC adds, since most scams aren't reported to the government.
Meta says it removed over 159 million scam ads in 2025, 92% of them before anyone reported them. It also took down 10.9 million Facebook and Instagram accounts tied to criminal scam centers, by its post of March 11, 2026.
Which scams hit Instagram the most?
The FTC's last split by platform that we found covers the first half of 2023.
| Scam | ||
|---|---|---|
| Investment | 30% | 26% |
| Undelivered | 24% | 60% |
| Romance | 21% | 21% |
Share of FTC loss reports that named each platform, first half of 2023, from the FTC's data spotlight of October 6, 2023. "Undelivered" means online orders that never came.
In that split, Instagram led on investment scams, where the losses are largest. Its help center lists investment, romance, job, lottery and loan scams, and it warns about "cash flipping" offers to turn a small sum, like $100, into $1,000, by a web search on October 24, 2026.
- Fake shops. An ad shows a big discount on a site you've never heard of, and the order never comes. These scams "most often start with an ad on Facebook or Instagram," the FTC said in 2023.
- Investment and crypto. A friendly "advisor" sends you to a real-looking platform that shows fake profits, so you put in more. "Never let someone you met on social media direct your investment decisions," the FTC says.
- Romance. Weeks of warm chat, then a crisis that needs money, or a tip about an investment.
- Prizes and "free money." A post says you've won and asks for a fee first. "Real prizes are free," the FTC says.
- Jobs. A role that sounds too good asks you to pay upfront, or asks for personal details.
What does an Instagram scam message look like?
Most scam DMs try to rush you onto a login page or into a payment. They're easy to spot once you know the scripts:
- "Your account will be deleted." A message says you broke a rule, often copyright, and asks you to appeal through a link. The link can lead to a fake login page that's built to grab your password, Malwarebytes warns. Instagram's help center says to distrust messages that threaten to ban or delete your account, by a web search on October 24, 2026.
- "Instagram support" or a badge offer. Someone claims to be from Instagram security and asks for your login, or offers to verify your account. Instagram's help center warns about both, by the same search.
- A friend asking for money. It's often a hacked account. The FTC's advice for an odd request from a friend is short: "call them."
- Emails. You can see the emails Instagram really sent you in the last 14 days in Accounts Center, and Instagram takes phishing reports at phish@instagram.com, by its help center in the same search.
The 2026 copyright ransom scam
A newer version doesn't need your password at all. Criminals file fake copyright complaints until Instagram suspends the account for a while. "The criminal then moves the conversation to another platform, such as Telegram, and demands a ransom to withdraw the complaint," Malwarebytes reported on September 10, 2026, citing the BBC. The owner of one history account paid $50 in crypto and was targeted again right after. After reviewing the accounts the BBC found, Meta restored the content. Police advise victims not to pay, the report says, so check the complaint inside Instagram and use the appeal that comes with it.
What are Instagram brand ambassador scams?
They're aimed at creators. The FTC says the pitch "often starts with a message out of the blue from a 'brand ambassador manager'" who offers free products and pay for posts. It calls a request for "personal or bank account information" the tell-tale sign. That's from its warnings of October 17, 2023.
The BBB found a second version. Victims "reported first having to buy items, anything from sunglasses to jewelry to cosmetics," it wrote in July 2024. The items cost $50 or more and came broken or unusable, or the scammer charged a fee for a "background check." A real partnership should show up on the brand's own site or social pages, the BBB says. Check any offer with the brand through a phone number or address you already know, as the FTC advises.
Which scams target people who want more followers?
This is our market, so we've seen these up close.
- Apps that take your password. In 2013, Symantec found that "many Instagram users have willingly shared their usernames and passwords to a bot-like app in order to increase likes and followers." That app, InstLike, had 100,000 to 500,000 installs on Google Play. When Symantec tested the app, its account "began liking pictures without any consent or interaction from us," the firm wrote.
- Profile-viewer apps. InstaAgent "promised to show users who was viewing their profile," Infosecurity Magazine wrote in November 2015. Apple and Google pulled it after a researcher warned that it took names and passwords. It was also posting ads into users' accounts.
- Free follower generators. Sites that promise free followers for a survey or an app download. Our page on free Instagram followers generators looks at what they deliver.
- Panels that vanish. A growth site goes offline with your prepaid balance. Our page on what to do when an SMM panel shuts down covers the next steps.
The HCLOUT approach: We never ask for your password because we never need it. Our services work through username-based delivery and engagement, keeping your credentials and account security entirely in your hands.
Instagram's rules apply to any growth service, ours included. In 2018, it said it would begin "removing inauthentic likes, follows and comments from accounts that use third-party apps to boost their popularity." Its help center says it may remove the likes such apps generate, and limit or disable accounts that keep using them, by a web search on October 24, 2026. Our guide on whether you need a password to buy followers compares the services that ask.
How do you spot a scammer on Instagram?
Instagram's help center, as a web search showed it on October 24, 2026, and the FTC list the same tells:
- They move you off Instagram. A push to WhatsApp, Telegram or email is on Instagram's list.
- They want your login. A password or a login code is the classic ask.
- They pick the payment. "Only scammers ask for gift cards as payment," the FTC says. It also warns about anyone who insists on wire transfers, crypto or payment apps.
- They rush you. A tight deadline, a prize that expires, an account about to be deleted.
- They claim a big name. Instagram flags unverified accounts that claim to be big companies.
- A search turns up complaints. The FTC suggests searching a company's name plus "scam" or "complaint" before you buy.
What should you do if you got scammed on Instagram?
- Report it in the app. Instagram's report menu has a scam or fraud option for profiles and posts, by a web search on October 24, 2026.
- Lock down your account. Change your password, log out other devices and turn on two-factor login, as Instagram's help center advises. If you reused that password elsewhere, change it there too, as a Rapid7 researcher advised after InstaAgent. Our guide to a hacked Instagram account walks through recovery.
- Call your card company. The CFPB says to send it a written notice "within 60 calendar days after the charge appeared on your statement," so start now.
- Don't expect much back from crypto. "Cryptocurrency payments typically are not reversible," the FTC says.
- Report the loss. In the US, file it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Ignore "recovery" offers. The FTC says some victims "reported secondary losses to scammers who said they could trace and recover lost money" for a fee.
Where does HCLOUT fit?
We sell followers, likes and views, so read this as a seller's pitch. We never ask for your password, and nothing runs on your account. Our checkout takes card or crypto, and a card keeps the dispute route above open. If an order fails or only partly delivers, we refund it automatically to your HCLOUT balance, and you can ask to withdraw it. Our free tier gives 12 free Instagram likes or 100 free Instagram views on a public post, with an email.
In an industry rife with scams, HCLOUT has built its reputation on transparency and results.
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We never ask for your Instagram password because we never need it. Our services work entirely through your public username. Your account credentials stay completely secure and under your control.
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Transparent Business Operations
HCLOUT operates with full transparency:
- Accessible 24/7 customer support
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- Active social media presence
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Quality-First Delivery
We prioritize sustainable growth over quick numbers:
- Gradual delivery that looks natural
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common Instagram scams?
Fake shops in ads, investment and crypto pitches, romance scams, fake brand deals and phishing messages. In 2025, investment scams took the most money on social media, by the FTC's count.
What does an Instagram scam message look like?
It's built to rush you. It says your account will be deleted, offers a prize or a badge, or asks you to log in through a link or share a code.
Is the Instagram copyright message real?
Check for it inside Instagram, as Malwarebytes advises. Don't follow links about it sent by email, DM or Telegram, since they can lead to a fake login page or a ransom demand.
Is the Instagram brand ambassador offer a scam?
It's safest to treat it as one if they want money or your bank details first. The FTC calls a request for bank details the tell-tale sign, and the BBB's victims paid $50 or more for products that came broken.
How do I report a scam on Instagram?
Use the report option on the profile or post, and pick scam or fraud. Send phishing emails to phish@instagram.com, and in the US report money lost at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Can I get my money back after an Instagram scam?
A card payment can be disputed, within 60 days of the statement in the US. Crypto payments typically can't be reversed, the FTC says.
Protect Yourself and Grow Safely
Ready to grow your Instagram? HCLOUT offers a free tier with no credit card required and no password needed. Start free today and experience what effective Instagram growth looks like.
Sources
- FTC data spotlights, "Reported losses to scams on social media eight times higher than in 2020," April 27, 2026, and "Social media: a golden goose for scammers," October 6, 2023, read through our server on October 24, 2026
- FTC, "Influence peddling? Bogus brand ambassador managers scam prospective influencers" and "Job scam targeting influencers," October 17, 2023, and "Free money on social media? Nah. It's a scam," May 21, 2024
- BBB Scam Alert, "Aspiring social media influencers fall for phony sponsorships," July 23, 2024
- Meta Newsroom, "Fighting Scammers and Protecting People With New Technology and Partnerships," March 11, 2026
- Malwarebytes, "Copyright scammers get Instagram accounts suspended and demand payment," September 10, 2026
- Symantec, "Instagram Users Compromise Their Own Accounts for Likes," November 12, 2013, in the Internet Archive, and Infosecurity Magazine, "InstaAgent Pulled After Stealing User Names and Passwords," November 13, 2015
- Instagram's help center pages on scams, phishing, recent emails and apps that offer likes, as a web search showed them on October 24, 2026, and Instagram's announcement of November 19, 2018
- The CFPB on card disputes and the FTC on crypto payments
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, October 24, 2026, and Hclout's free tier, payment methods and FAQ, read October 24, 2026
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