ANorton, the cybersecurity brand ofGen™Alert about a new and sophisticated scam that is working frighteningly well and has been circulating via direct messages on Instagram. The focus of cybercriminals is influencers, small businesses, and content creators, who may have their accounts hijacked after interactions with fake profiles pretending to be Meta support.
According to Iskander Sanchez-Rola, Director of AI and Innovation at Norton, this type of scam poses a significant risk to those who rely on Instagram as their main channel to increase visibility, generate revenue, and stay connected with their audience.
We are dealing with a very well-structured scheme that accurately simulates the communication of the "Meta Ads Help Center" (Meta's Advertising Support Center). By posing as Meta representatives, scammers exploit the emotional vulnerability of those who fear losing their account to induce impulsive and urgent actions. "The impact can be devastating for those who have Instagram as a strategic business channel," says Iskander.
How does the scam work
The scam begins with sending a message directly to the victim, appearing legitimate and sent from the "Meta Ads Help Center"Meta's Advertising Support Center). The message states that the account violated Meta's policies and will be deactivated soon. Communication is usually accompanied by external links and an alarmist tone, designed to generate fear and urgency.
By clicking the link, the person is directed to a page that mimics the "Meta Ads Help Center." Victims are asked to "Request Review," which means entering their Instagram username, password, and in many cases, even their two-factor authentication code.
With these credentials in hand, the scammer can quickly take control of the account, lock out the owner, and exploit the audience of the stolen profile. For this, the cybercriminal can adopt different strategies: from applying targeted frauds to the profile's followers—such as the dissemination of false investments or phishing links—to demanding financial ransom to return the profile to its owner. There are also cases where accounts are sold in underground markets on the deep web.
Some signs can help users identify these scam attempts. Messages sent from accounts without a verification badge and with few followers are one of the clues. The use of urgent, threatening language about account exclusion or policy violations, with grammatical errors and inadequate wording, should also raise a red flag, as well as any request to click on external links promising "verification" of the account.
Iskander Sanchez-Rola recommends some good practices to protect yourself against this type of scam:
- Never click directly on links from messages from unknown accounts.Meta and Instagram will never ask you to verify your account via private message.
- Check the sender's profile.Meta's official accounts are verified and will not have names like advertisingsupportcenter0798.
- Use two-factor authentication on your accountsto prevent unauthorized access.
- Report the account to Instagramif you receive one of these messages.
- Consider the use of a security solution developed for small businesses, if you manage social media accounts as a team or use shared devices. Tools like theNorton Small BusinessThey offer social media monitoring to help prevent the control of administrator accounts.
- Educate your team.If you manage your account with other people, make sure everyone knows how these scams work.
With the growth of digital businesses and the influence of social media in brand building, scams like this are becoming increasingly dangerous. Awareness and the use of appropriate tools are essential steps to protect digital identities and prevent financial and reputational damage in the online universe. "A Norton continues to closely monitor the evolution of these threats and reinforces its commitment to the digital security of small businesses and content creators," concludes Sanchez-Rola.
