Instagram Scams: Common Types, Warning Signs and How to Report Them

An Instagram scam usually tries one of three things: to get your money (through a fake shop, giveaway, investment or romance), to get your login (through a fake security warning or a request for a code), or to get personal details it can use later. The warning signs are consistent: urgency, messages from accounts you don’t know or that look slightly off, links that lead outside Instagram, and any request for payment by gift card, crypto or payment app, or for a code sent to your phone. If something feels wrong, don’t click, don’t pay, and report the account.

This guide covers the broad types of scams on Instagram, the signs they share, and exactly what to do if you’ve clicked, paid or lost access to your account.

Common types of Instagram scams

Scammers adapt their scripts constantly, so treat this as a map of the main categories rather than a complete list.

Fake security and “copyright violation” messages

A DM or email says your account will be deleted or disabled for a copyright or policy violation unless you “appeal” through a link. The link leads to a fake login page that captures your password and sometimes your two-factor code. Instagram doesn’t ask you to appeal through a random DM from another account.

Code and “vote for me” requests

A message, often from a friend’s account that has already been hacked, asks you to vote in a contest, help with a login problem or confirm something, and then asks you to send back a code that has just arrived by text or email. That code is usually the key to your own account.

Fake giveaways and brand impersonation

An account copying a real brand, influencer or celebrity says you’ve won a prize. To claim it, you need to pay shipping, enter card details or log in through a link. Genuine giveaways don’t charge winners.

Fake shops and ads

A sponsored post or shop sells popular items at big discounts. You pay, and nothing arrives, or what arrives is counterfeit or nothing like the photos. Resold concert and event tickets are a common version; see our guide to ticket scams.

Investment, crypto and “flipping” pitches

An account shows off a lavish lifestyle and offers to grow or “flip” your money, or a new online friend steers the conversation toward a trading platform. Early “profits” may appear on a dashboard to encourage bigger deposits, but withdrawals fail.

Romance and friendship scams

A stranger builds a relationship over weeks, then needs money for an emergency or introduces an investment. A related version is the sugar daddy scam, where a wealthy stranger promises you an allowance but asks for a fee first. Our guide to romance scams covers this pattern in detail.

Job, modeling and brand-deal offers

A message offers paid work, a sponsorship or a modeling contract, then asks for a fee, your bank details or ID documents. See our guide to job scams for how to check an offer.

Sextortion

An attractive stranger persuades someone to share intimate images, then threatens to send them to the person’s followers unless they pay. If this is happening, read our sextortion help guide now. Don’t pay, and don’t send more.

Warning signs of an Instagram scam

• Urgency and threats. “Your account will be deleted in 24 hours” or “claim your prize today”.
• Look-alike accounts. A handle with an extra letter, underscore or number, few posts, recent creation, or a follower count that doesn’t match a big brand.
• Links that leave Instagram, especially shortened links or login pages you reached from a DM.
• Requests for a code sent to your phone or email, from anyone, for any reason.
• Unusual payment methods: gift cards, crypto, wire transfers or payment app transfers to a stranger.
• Offers that are too good: promised returns, luxury goods at a fraction of the price, a prize for a contest you didn’t enter.
• A friend acting out of character, such as suddenly selling crypto or asking for money by DM. Their account may be hacked.

How to check whether a message or account is genuine

1. Look at the handle closely, then search for the brand or person yourself and compare. The real account is usually the one with a long posting history and consistent content.
2. Check the account’s history. Instagram shows some account information, such as when the account joined and whether it has changed its username. A brand-new account claiming to be a long-established company is a warning sign.
3. Contact the friend another way. If a friend asks for money or a code, call or text them on a number you already have.
4. Search the shop independently. Look for reviews off Instagram, a real business address and a working customer service contact. A reverse image search of product photos can show whether they were lifted from another site.
5. Don’t log in through links. If a message says there’s a problem with your account, open the Instagram app yourself and look for notices there.

A worked example

This is an illustrative scenario, not a real person or client.

Jordan, who runs a small ceramics account, gets a DM from a profile with a logo that looks official, saying one of her posts breaks copyright rules and her account will be removed unless she appeals within 24 hours. The link opens a page asking for her username and password.

She notices the sending account has a few dozen followers and an unusual handle. Instead of tapping the link, she opens Instagram’s settings and finds no warning or matching email there. She reports the account for impersonation and scam, blocks it and deletes the message. As a precaution, she confirms her two-factor authentication is switched on and reviews the devices logged into her account.

A week later, a friend tells Jordan she fell for the same message and lost her account. Jordan points her to Instagram’s account recovery options.

What to do if you’ve been scammed on Instagram

If you clicked a link or shared your login or a code

1. Change your Instagram password immediately if you still have access, and change it on any other account that used the same password.
2. Turn on two-factor authentication, preferably using an authentication app rather than text messages.
3. Log out unfamiliar devices and check that the email address and phone number on the account are still yours.
4. If you’ve lost access, use Instagram’s hacked account recovery options. Our guide to what to do if your Instagram is hacked walks through recovery.
5. Warn your followers through another account or a friend, so they don’t fall for messages sent from your hijacked profile.

If you sent money

1. Contact your bank, card provider or payment app right away to report fraud and ask whether the payment can be disputed or reversed.
2. If you paid with gift cards, contact the company that issued them as soon as possible and ask whether the funds can be frozen. Keep the cards and receipts.
3. Save evidence: screenshots of the profile, messages, ads, the website and payment records.
4. Report the account on Instagram as a scam, and report the ad if one was involved.
5. Report the fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

Don’t pay anyone who contacts you offering to recover the money or your account for a fee. These offers are often a second scam aimed at people who have just lost money. Our guide on how to report an Instagram account covers the reporting options in more detail.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Replying to argue with the scammer. It confirms your account is active and invites more attempts.
• Trusting a verification badge on its own. Badges can be bought on some plans and faked in profile photos. Look at the account’s history too.
• Reusing your Instagram password elsewhere. One phishing page can then expose several accounts.
• Keeping a scam quiet out of embarrassment. Reporting helps Instagram remove the account and warns your friends before they’re targeted.

When a scam uses your name or account

If scammers impersonate you or your business, or your hacked account messages your followers, the damage can outlast the scam. People may remember that “you” sent them a suspicious message, or post warnings with your handle in them. Report impersonating accounts, post a clear note on your real profile, and keep screenshots showing what happened. If fake accounts keep appearing or scam accusations start to show up in search results for your name, our social media reputation management team can help with reporting and clean-up.

Frequently asked questions

Will Instagram ever DM me about a copyright violation?

Instagram notifies people about policy issues through the app itself, not through DMs from other accounts asking you to click a link and log in. Treat those messages as phishing and report them.

What happens if I send someone my Instagram code?

They may be able to reset your password or log in as you, then lock you out and use your account to target your followers. Change your password right away, turn on two-factor authentication and follow Instagram’s recovery options if you’ve lost access.

Can I get my money back after an Instagram scam?

Sometimes. Card payments and some bank transfers can be disputed if you act quickly. Gift cards, crypto and many payment app transfers are much harder to recover. Contact your bank or the payment provider as soon as possible.

How do I report an Instagram scam?

Report the account, post, message or ad through Instagram’s reporting options. Then report the fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov, and contact your bank if you paid.