Social media scams
Social media is a great place to meet people, but it's also where scammers look for targets.
What they are
Social media scams happen when someone tries to get money or information from you through an interaction on social media – including dating sites.
How they work
In general, someone on social media will ask you for money or personal information. The reason for the request will vary.
They may say they need help due to a personal emergency, they may recommend an investment, or say they are buying or selling something on a social media marketplace.
Sometimes a scammer may have taken over the social media account of a person you know. Other times, a scammer may have created a copycat profile to pretend to be someone you know – whether that’s someone you know personally, or a celebrity.
The account could also be completely fake and the person you think you’re talking to doesn’t exist at all. AI tools can be used to generate fake photos and profile text to create a realistic looking account.
Common types
Investment opportunities
A scammer will befriend you on social media site or will take over the account of someone you know. They will tell you about how they have received large returns from a particular investment, like bonds, cryptocurrency or foreign exchange. They may share investment tips and appear to be living luxurious lifestyles due to their financial success.
Once you have been lured into making an investment, they will often ask you to pay more and more. Eventually, they disappear with your money.
Protect against investment scams
Help with an emergency
You may receive a message that seems to come from a friend or family member saying they need money to help them replace a lost phone or to get home as they’re stuck somewhere with no access to funds. Or they may say that they need to pay for unexpected medical costs. However, the story is fake and a scammer is pretending to be the person you know.
The scammer may contact you through the actual social media profile of the person you know, or they may send you a message from a new account or phone number.
Marketplace scams
This can happen with both buying and selling goods.
Scammers will pretend to show interest in buying something you're selling. They will try to convince you they have paid – for example by showing you a fake screenshot of a bank transfer – so you will send the items, but the money will never arrive.
A scammer may also pretend to be selling something on social media. You pay for the item, only for it to never show up or you receive the wrong item.
Get help now
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What to do if someone has gained access to your online account
If someone has gained access to any of your online accounts, such as email, social media or banking, but hasn’t locked you out of them, change your password immediately. Once you have secured your account, set up two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect it from future attacks. Depending on the account, you may also be able to go into settings and disconnect any devices that aren't yours.
Protect yourself from unauthorised access - Own Your Online
If you have lost access to your account and can no longer log in, you will have to work with the platform where your account was compromised.
Most social media platforms have a section to help you recover your account. You can find some of the most common ones here.
Hacked and fake accounts | Facebook Help Centre (external link)
My Instagram was Hacked | Instagram Support (external link)
Secure a hacked or compromised Google Account | Google Account Help (external link)
My account has been hacked | TikTok Help Center (external link)
My account is compromised | Snapchat Support (external link)Once you have contacted the social media platform, report the incident to CERT NZ and we can help you determine how the compromised happened and how you can secure your accounts moving forward.
Reporting form for businesses and individuals | CERT NZ
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What to do if you think you’ve clicked on a phishing link on social media
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What to do if you’ve won a competition on social media and think it could be a scam
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What to do if you’re talking someone on social media who you think might be a scammer
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What to do if you’ve lost money in a marketplace scam