Straight Talk: Don't fall for payment scheme to liberate social media accounts

Is there anything more frustrating than not being able to access your social media accounts?

Scammers are betting there is not. BBB Scam Tracker has recently seen multiple reports of a scam in which con artists trick people out of their money by promising they can recover social media accounts.

How the scam works

You have been locked out of your social media account and cannot seem to get back in. While searching for a solution, you come across a company that claims they can help you recover your account for a fee. Feeling that you have exhausted all your options, you decide to give them a try. However, as time goes by, fees begin piling up and your account has still not been recovered. In addition, the company may start asking for very personal information.

One consumer reported their experience to BBB Scam Tracker after a company contacted them through Facebook Messenger. “They said they could recover my Instagram account for me for $100. I paid them and they said they performed the service but would need another $130 to purchase software to ‘complete the task.’ I paid. They claimed the account couldn’t be recovered but they could delete it for me, for another $50, this time to purchase ‘deletion software.’ It was not deleted.”

Another victim was told someone was making purchases through their compromised Facebook account. To fix the problem, they would need to verify their bank account and CashApp information. The con artist was able to access the person’s accounts and steal funds.

Whatever the scheme, scammers want people to think they are a reputable third-party company that recovers social media accounts. In the end, consumers find they have been handed empty promises in exchange for their hard-earned money.

How to avoid social media account recovery scams

• Never pay someone to recover your social media account. Every social media site has its own account recovery process. Some are more complex than others, but account recovery is always free.

• Visit the official social media help page instead of doing research on third-party sites. Follow the official account recovery process and contact the platform directly if you have any issues. You can find a list of each social media platform’s account recovery links at FTC.gov.

• Guard your personal information. Never share your login ID, password, banking information, social security number or other sensitive information with a stranger.

FOR MORE INFORMATION – Stay alert to similar scams by visiting the BBB social media scams page at BBB.org/socialscams. If you spot a social media scam, report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker.

FOR BBB INFORMATION – Visit BBB.org or call us at 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, find our events, follow us on social media, and more!

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Straight Talk: Don't fall for payment scheme to liberate social media accounts