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Social media scams

How do social media scams work and what are the warning signs?

Social media scams use fake profiles, marketplace listings, urgent requests and misleading ads to trick users. Always verify profiles, avoid clicking suspicious links, and never send money or personal details to someone you’ve only met online. 

On this page, you'll learn how to spot social media scams, protect your money and personal information and report it if you get caught out. Social media scams can lead to financial loss and identity theft. Remain alert to the warning signs.

If you find yourself the victim of a social media scam, contact your bank immediately and report the scam to the social media platform and your local Garda station. Be wary of suspicious posts or comments with interesting links, which may direct you to phishing websites.

What are social media scams and how do they work?

Social media scams are becoming more common as large platforms give scammers access to millions of people. Scammers set up fake profiles on social media, messaging platforms and apps, pretending to be organisations or individuals to gain your trust. 

Scammers often use emotional manipulation or create a sense of urgency to pressure you into acting quickly. They can also pay to advertise, reaching more people.

What are the main types of social media scams?

Online marketplace scams 

Facebook Marketplace, Adverts.ie or DoneDeal let users buy and sell goods. Most online marketplace users are genuine people selling legitimate items, but scammers can also pose as customers and sellers.

The golden rule of shopping safely on online marketplaces is that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you’re buying an item, don’t hand over any money unless you are sure the item is legitimate. 

If you’re selling an item, don’t click any link a buyer sends you and be careful not to send the buyer details that could give them access to any of your bank accounts.

Example

John advertises his dining room table and chairs for sale online. He is contacted by an interested buyer. When paying, the buyer “accidentally” pays John too much for the table and chairs and asks him to refund the difference. 

But the buyer has used a bogus payment method, and the money never arrives in John’s account, potentially leaving him out of pocket for the price of the table and chairs as well as the extra money he paid back. 

Protect yourself by always waiting for money to clear in your account and use the platform’s payment service if there is one. A buyer or seller trying to move you off the platform to another payment method is a red flag.

"Help, I'm in trouble!" scams

Scammers pretend to be a family member or friend in an emergency, asking for money. Always check with the person using contact details you already have.

Bait and switch scams

Posts may be edited after sharing to include malicious links. Be wary of sharing posts from people you don’t know.

Job scams 

Fake jobs require upfront payment for training. Research companies offering jobs and watch for websites that differ from the original job posting.

Customer service scams 

Scammers pose as customer care agents, using blue ticks to appear legitimate. They target complaints and phish for personal information.

Fake competition scams 

Scammers claim you’ve won a prize and ask for payment or personal details. Never pay money to claim a prize or give out card details.

Learn about other common scams that also use social media to target victims on our investment scams and romance scams pages. 

How can you spot a fake profile or scam post?

  • Be wary if someone you don’t know wants to add you as a friend.
  • Check when the account was set up and the number of followers.
  • Look for copycat logos or images.
  • Watch for suspicious posts or comments with interesting links, which may direct you to phishing websites.
  • Search for reviews before buying from online shops you haven’t used before.
  • Check for poor spelling or grammar in posts and profiles, which can be a sign of a scam.
Top tip

Before interacting with a company on social media, check their website for links to their social media accounts. This will help you ensure the account is genuine. 

How can you protect yourself against social media scams?

Do:

  • Make sure the person is who they say they are – check their history, activity and followers
  • Be careful about sharing personal information
  • Review and update privacy settings
  • Think before you click – be wary of suspicious links
  • Change your password regularly
  • Enable two-factor authentication on your accounts for extra security

Don’t:

  • Add someone as a friend unless you know them
  • Be misled by cheap offers – if it seems too good to be true, it usually is
  • Send money to anyone you’ve only met online
  • Give out personal information in response to a post
  • Pay for an item without verifying the seller

New and emerging social media scams

Social media scams are evolving rapidly. Here are some of the latest scam types to watch out for:

AI-driven deepfake scams

Scammers use artificial intelligence to create convincing fake videos, audio or images. These deepfakes can impersonate friends, family or company representatives to trick you into sending money or sharing sensitive information.

Messaging app investment scams

Fraudsters pose as financial experts on messaging apps, promoting obscure stocks or cryptocurrencies. They hype up the investment, then sell their own holdings at a profit, leaving victims with worthless assets.

AI-powered phishing and smishing

Smishing and phishing are scams where fraudsters pose as trusted organisations to steal your details – smishing uses text messages, phishing uses emails or fake websites. AI is used to write highly convincing scam messages and ads on social media, making them harder to spot. These can include fake competitions, urgent requests or links to malicious sites.

Social media impersonation and account takeover

Scammers hack or clone social media profiles to impersonate friends, family or brands. They use these accounts to request money, promote scams, or harvest personal information.

Fake health and diet ads

Scam ads for miracle health products, fake diet pills or bogus medical devices are increasingly common on social media. These often use deepfake endorsements or impersonate real doctors.

Sophisticated shopping and influencer scams

Fake online shops, influencer impersonations and scam ads for “too good to be true” products are on the rise. Many victims never receive the goods they paid for.

Voice cloning and emergency scams

Scammers use AI to clone voices from social media, then call friends or family pretending to be in trouble and urgently needing money.

Fake customer service and smishing

Scammers send fake customer service messages or SMS texts, often using AI to sound convincing. They may claim to be from banks, delivery companies or tech support.

What should you do if you get caught out by a social media scam?

If you have given your bank account details, notify your bank or card issuer immediately. Keep records of all messages and screenshots of scam posts to assist with any investigation. Your account can be placed on hold and your card cancelled if necessary. Report the scam post or page to the social media company. You should also report it locally to your Garda station.

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