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Online scams are nothing new, yet they still account for a rising degree of theft year over year. According to new numbers released by the Federal Trade Commission, social media users in particular were tricked out of a staggering $2.1 billion — eight times higher than in 2020 — and these losses could get even worse as criminals tap into AI to execute more sophisticated cyberattacks. Here are the biggest social media scams to look for and what you can do if it happens to you.
Biggest social media scams of 2025
The FTC’s report identified three main traps that tricked social media users out of billions of dollars:
Investment scams accounted for half of the total losses last year. These scams usually involve get-rich-quick schemes where “influencers” sell courses that show victims how to make money by investing in the stock market. In some cases, scammers create chat groups filled with other supposed investors who all proclaim the benefits of the program, when in reality, they’re part of the scam too. Ultimately, victims end up paying for these courses, or even provide funds to be invested on their behalf, with no real payoff on the other side.
Don’t click on social media ads. Ever.
Shopping scams came in second place, accounting for 40% of the reported losses on social media. These scams typically feature an ad to a product that’s too good to be true — either the price is lower than usually advertised, or the link clicks away to an unknown third-party site instead of a trusted retailer. From here, scammers convince users to provide their payment information, stealing the money while leaving shoppers with a cheaper product than they thought they were getting, or in many cases, no product at all.
Romance scams, also known as catfishing, involve users who create fake online accounts so that they can target other users and foster a false relationship. Once the victim falls head over heels to the point that they would do anything for their supposed lover, the catfisher will request money for some kind of unexpected crisis, typically involving a broken-down car, a shattered phone, or a family member suddenly passing away. The victim sends the cash, the catfisher pockets the money, and they’re never heard from again — or worse, they try to get more money later.
How to protect yourself from social media scams
Luckily, there are several ways to avoid these scams as you surf your favorite social media sites.
First, limit who can see your posts and friends on social media. Most platforms let you set your profile as “private” or limit public access by making adjustments to the settings page. Some social media apps also bar strangers from sending you private messages. Once your account is locked down, both scammers and AI agents will have a harder time finding you to execute targeted scams.
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L-R: Wodicka/ullstein bild/Getty Images; Taylor Weidman/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Second, be careful who you trust online. It’s OK to form friendships with people you meet on social platforms, but refrain from sharing personal information or buying products, services, or courses from anyone you don’t know in person. Many online scammers make their careers out of falsely befriending or romancing unsuspecting users just to squeeze them for cash. As a general rule of thumb, don’t trust anyone on social media unless you can verify they are the person they claim to be and that they are worthy of that trust.
Third, don’t click on social media ads. Ever. Especially avoid ads that showcase expensive products sold for a staggeringly large discount. Instead, go to the manufacturer’s webpage or find the same product in a trusted online store. If the manufacturer is actually hosting a deal, you should see the same discounted price on an official page, and if the price doesn’t match, chances are even greater that the unknown store with the great deal is trying to deceive you. To be safe, always buy from a trusted online retailer or the manufacturer itself.
Fourth, never provide personal information to anyone online, even if it seems harmless — that includes your mother’s maiden name, first pet, hometown, first car, etc. All of these are typically answers to the security questions that protect many of your online accounts that a criminal would love to hack.
Finally, if you do run into a scam online, stop what you’re doing and report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. This way, you can help them track down fraudsters and protect other users from losing hundreds or thousands of dollars to social media thieves.
