Advertisement Scams

What is it:

Fake advertisements on social media platforms

Who is it targeting:

Social media users, consumers who have searched for specific products

How does it work:

Social media platforms are filled with advertisements for different products and services. Advertising revenue is how those companies can stay in business while not charging their users a fee for the service. However, some ads are legitimate offers for great products, while others are advertisement scams. These links steal your money and never provide the product, redirect to fake websites that steal your personal data and require you to install software that turns out to be malicious.

It can be very tricky to tell the difference between an advertisement scam and a legit ad. Until you can be certain of the ad’s safety, it is best to ignore the ad and search for the product name and website on your own. If you do recognize the ad’s platform (like Amazon or Walmart, with no other names listed in the address) then it is probably safe to click.

What you can do about it:

• Beware the “too good to be true” ads that offer innovative products for pennies on the dollar
• Watch out for “snake oil” health remedies and weight loss solutions
• Be mindful that these bogus ads can target children, too. Talk to your family about safe clicking and avoiding spam and viruses

Contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at 888.400.5530. For on-the-go assistance, check out the free ID Theft Help App from ITRC.

Read next…

Facebook Pyramid Scheme Leaves You at Risk

New Venmo Scam Targets Payment App Users

SCAM: Your Social Security Number Has Been Suspended