If this helped, forward it to one person who’d benefit.

You get a friend request from someone you know.

Or you see an ad for a product you were just talking about.

Or you join a Facebook group where people are sharing “investment tips,” “side hustles,” or “special deals.”

It feels normal.

That’s the problem.

Social media is where many scams now begin because it feels personal. You are not reading a suspicious email from a stranger. You are seeing a message, ad, post, or group inside an app you already trust.

And scammers know that.

The FTC recently reported that people lost more money to scams that started on Facebook in 2025 than to scams that started on any other social media platform. WhatsApp and Instagram were second and third. The FTC also reported that 2025 losses from social-media-started scams reached $2.1 billion.

That does not mean Facebook is “bad” or that you should panic and delete everything.

It means you need a few simple rules.

Scammers love social media because it gives them three things at once:

Trust.
A message from a “friend” feels safer than a random email.

Information.
Your profile may show your family, job, hobbies, location, school, pets, purchases, and interests.

Targeting.
Scammers can use ads, groups, fake profiles, hacked accounts, and direct messages to reach exactly the kind of person they want.

The FTC warns that scammers can hack a profile, pretend to be someone you know, and use information from your profile to target you more convincingly.

That is why social media scams work on smart people.

They are not always obvious. They are designed to look familiar.

This one is simple.

You get a friend request from someone you already know.

Maybe it looks like your cousin, an old coworker, someone from church, or a parent from school.

You accept.

Then comes the message.

“Hey, how have you been?”

Then maybe:

“I got a government grant.”
“I need help.”
“I’m locked out of my account.”
“Can you send me your phone number?”
“Can you vote for my kid in this contest?”
“Can I send you a code?”

That last one is especially dangerous.

If someone asks you to send back a login code, password reset code, or verification code, stop. That code may let them take over one of your accounts.

A real friend does not need your security code.

You see an ad for a great product.

The price is amazing.

The site looks professional.

There may be comments saying, “I ordered mine!” or “Just got it!” or “This is legit.”

But the store is fake.

You pay, and one of three things happens:

This is why you should not automatically trust an ad just because it appears inside Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or another major platform.

Scammers buy ads too.

Before buying from a store you have never heard of, search the store name plus words like “scam,” “reviews,” “complaints,” or “BBB.”

And if the deal seems unreal, assume there is a reason.

This one is growing fast.

You join a group about investing, crypto, AI tools, remote work, parenting, local deals, jobs, health, travel, or retirement.

At first, it seems helpful.

People are posting wins. People are sharing tips. Someone seems successful and friendly.

Then the pitch appears.

“Message me for the link.”
“Join our private WhatsApp.”
“We’re moving this group to Telegram.”
“This strategy made me $8,000 last month.”
“Only a few spots left.”

That move from a public platform into a private chat is a major warning sign.

Not every group is bad. But scam groups often work by creating fake trust. They use fake members, fake testimonials, fake screenshots, and fake urgency.

The FTC has specifically warned that unexpected social media messages about investment opportunities are almost always scams, especially when someone pushes you toward crypto or a “guaranteed” return.

Most people think scam victims are careless.

That is wrong.

Scams work because they use normal human behavior:

You want to help a friend.

You want to save money.

You want to believe a good opportunity is real.

You want to respond quickly when something seems urgent.

You want to trust people who seem familiar.

That is exactly what scammers are counting on.

Cyber safety is not about becoming paranoid.

It is about slowing down at the right moment.

If someone sends you a friend request and you thought you were already connected, do not accept right away.

Search your existing friends list.

Look at the profile.

Check when the account was created, how many posts it has, and whether anything feels off.

When in doubt, contact the person another way.

This is a hard rule.

Do not send verification codes, password reset codes, two-factor authentication codes, or one-time passcodes to anyone over social media.

Not to a friend.

Not to “support.”

Not to someone claiming they need help.

Those codes are for you only.

If a friend or family member messages you asking for money, pause.

Call them.

Use a phone number you already had before the message.

Do not rely on the social media account itself, because that account may be hacked.

Before buying from an unfamiliar store, check:

Does the website have a real company name?

Does it have a real return policy?

Is the domain name slightly weird?

Are prices far lower than everywhere else?

Can you find independent reviews outside the company’s own site?

If you still want to buy, use a credit card rather than debit, Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, crypto, or wire transfer.

Credit cards usually give you better fraud protection.

You do not need to make everything public.

Review your privacy settings. Turn on two-factor authentication.

Limit who can see your posts, friends list, phone number, email address, birthday, family details, and location.

Scammers use personal details to make scams more convincing.

👤 Duplicate friend request? Pause first. It may be a fake or cloned account.
🔐 Never share login codes. No real friend, company, or support person needs them.🛒 Do not trust an ad just because it appears on a major platform. Scammers buy ads too.
💬 Be careful when groups move to WhatsApp or Telegram. Especially for investing, crypto, jobs, or “exclusive” deals.
💳 Use credit cards for unfamiliar online stores. Avoid debit, gift cards, wire transfers, Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, or crypto for strangers.
🧯 If something feels urgent, slow down. Urgency is one of the scammer’s favorite tools.

Social media scams work because they do not feel like scams at first.

They feel like a friend request.

A good deal.

A helpful group.

A private message.

A familiar face.

The fix is not complicated: slow down, verify outside the app, never share login codes, be careful with unfamiliar stores, and do not send money because of a social media message.

You do not have to quit social media.

You just need to stop trusting it automatically.

Until next time — stay private, stay safe.

— Peter Oram
Chief Cyber Safety Evangelist

P.S.: I’m working on a practical iPhone safety guide for parents.
Reach out if you’re interested in early access.

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