7 Ways To Avoid Getting Scammed On Instagram

In recent times, the spate of fraud on social media especially Instagram has become very alarming. On some days, MDB gets up to 7 direct messages/emails from different readers who want to report one fake account or the other.

By the time the report is made , it usually is too late because often times the fraudulent sellers mysteriously disappear off Instagram. Some other fraudsters are more brazen, and dare the buyer(s) to do their worse, leaving them even more angry but helpless. Worst part is,  the Police most times are unable to trace these social media fraudsters as they leave little or no trails in their wake . Against these background, here are some precautionary steps to take before purchasing any thing on Instagram.

1.Throughly go through sellers page and look out to see if the pictures are stolen:

Some of these scammers who camouflage as genuine sellers steal pictures from others and use them with the real owners water mark. Check to see how personal photos of their wares are  i.e…. professional photos of a product and check if the person has same photo taken by them in their store etc or even video(s) of them talking about the goods/product. Also check for their own personalized watermark on pictures posted on their page. Most times scammers won’t go through the trouble of having their own unique logo, or watermark. Please note that a seller could be authentic and still not pass this test.

Before purchasing lookout for how long the seller as been on Instagram. Most times scammers have very recent accounts because they are forced to change names and start new accounts often.

Often times, real sellers post testimonials from other buyers to encourage new buyers and boost sales. If you see no testimonials at all, it may be a red flag. Of course some genuine sellers may forget to post testimonials so look out for other signs.

4. Delivery:

Fraudsters on Instagram often  promise to deliver under 24 hours or less, whereas those running  genuine online businesses usually give 2-3 working days averagely, sometimes more. Multiple deliveries and pending orders etc are some the many reasons some online businesses find it difficult to deliver under 24 hours. Although some businesses deliver you order pretty fast, this is an exception not the norm. So a promise to deliver in 24 hours may be a scam.

5. Check for a proper store address in their Instagram bio:

One of the surest but not certain ways of determining if a seller is genuine is that they usually have a physical store(s) where you can walk in to purchase their goods/products. Although a scammer can add a non existent address(especially after reading this article lol)  the chances are slim. The down side to this however is that some genuine sellers strictly operate online businesses( especially those who just started business) and do not have stores. Instead they work with delivery companies solely to deliver there products/goods.

6. Ask for referrals:

This simply means you don’t buy from a seller unless someone you know and can trust has purchased goods from them.

7. Pay on delivery:

This is perhaps the surest way of avoiding getting scammed on Instagram. This way, you see what you’re buying first, collect it before making payment.

To be more certain, consider holistically the factors listed above before purchasing anything. This is because some fraudsters may pass one or more of the tests and some genuine sellers may fail. As a result, its better to tick most of the steps enumerated  or stick to pay on delivery. Even better, DO NOT purchase via Instagram at all to avoid stories that touch.

You’re welcome.