The world of social media, while brimming with cat videos, family photos, and friendly banter, also harbors a sinister side. This darker realm is teeming with swindlers and scam artists, cunningly concealed behind the masks of familiar faces.
In this modern-day game of digital deception, these fraudsters are continuously inventing new ways to exploit unsuspecting users. Today, many scammers rely on automated tools and AI-assisted techniques to make fake messages feel more personal and believable than ever. Take the case of Rich from Jackson, California, who shared his unsettling experience with us.
I received a text from what I thought was an old high school buddy whom I hadn’t spoken to for quite a long time. He asked if I was a member of Costco, to which I replied, “Yes”. He then texted me and requested that I purchase a $200 cash gift certificate and send it to his sister who was on the road and was in desperate need of funds. He then texted me again and asked if I completed the purchase. I soon realized this was a scam! How the crook managed to know the name of my high school friend, I’ll never know! – Rich, Jackson, CA
The fortunate thing here is that Rich quickly recognized the scam, yet not before experiencing a jarring invasion of privacy. How the scammer knew the details of the high school friend remains a mystery, highlighting the audacious lengths these crooks will go to deceive you.
Scammers now commonly scrape social media profiles, public posts, photos, and even old comments to build convincing impersonations. Some also reuse writing styles, profile photos, or voice clips pulled from social platforms to appear more legitimate. So how can you protect yourself?
Table of Contents:
Fortify your digital defenses
One of the first lines of defense is to make your social media accounts private. This simple step can drastically limit the amount of personal information that is publicly visible, thereby reducing the likelihood of becoming a target.
How to make your Facebook private
Facebook generally has four levels of privacy that you can set your account and posts to.
- Public: When you share something with the Public, that means anyone, including people off of Facebook, can see it.
- Friends (+ friends of anyone tagged): This option lets you post things to your friends on Facebook. If anyone else is tagged in a post, then the audience expands to also include the tagged person and their friends. If you don’t want your photo or post to be visible to the friends of the people you tag, you can adjust this setting. Click the audience selector next to the story, select Custom, and uncheck the Friends of those tagged box.
- Only Me: This option allows you to post things to your timeline that are visible only to you. Posts with the audience of Only Me will appear in your Feed but not your friends’ feeds. When you tag someone in your content and choose Only Me, the audience won’t expand to include the person you tagged.
- Custom: When you choose Custom, you can selectively share something with specific people, or hide it from specific people. You can also share with specific friend lists if you’ve set them up. Custom also provides the option to share with groups or networks you belong to.
To reduce exposure, use “Only Me” for profile details such as your phone number, email address, hometown, and friends list. For regular posts, avoid Public and limit visibility to Friends or Specific Friends whenever possible.
Note: Facebook frequently updates its layout. Some privacy and security settings may now appear under Meta’s Accounts Center, depending on your account and region, but the controls below still exist even if menu names change.\
To get to Facebook’s Privacy menu
- Open the Facebook website and log into your account
- Click your profile picture in the top-right corner, and then select Settings & Privacy in the menu that appears
- Then scroll down and click Privacy Checkup
Make your Facebook posts private
- Once you get to the Privacy Checkup page — click on Who Can See What You Share, then click Continue
- Then, you will be taken to your Profile Information, where you can decide what information you allow others to see there.
- Then click Next on the bottom right of the screen
- Next, you are able to decide who you want to see your posts and stories. Click on the box next to where it says Default audience. You can choose many options, including Only me, Friends or Specific friends, etc.
- You can also decide who sees your stories and Limit past posts on this page.
Hide your Facebook profile so people can’t find you
If you’re concerned about people finding your Facebook profile and posts, the How People Find and Contact You tools can help keep you hidden
- Click Who can send you friend requests to limit the number of people allowed to friend you. Just note that you can’t turn friend requests off completely — the best you can do is limit them to mutual friends.
- The Who can see your friends list? option can hide your friends list, so people can’t see who’s in your network.
- Who can look you up using the email address you provided? And who can look you up using the phone number you provided? options can make it so even if someone already has your contact information, they won’t be able to find you on Facebook.
- Clicking Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile? lets you hide your profile from Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other search engines. This is useful if you’re worried about people finding you by googling your name — just note that it can take a few days to process.
Steps to set up two-factor authentication of Facebook
- Open the Facebook website and log into your account
- Click your profile picture in the top-right corner, and then select Settings & Privacy in the menu that appears
- In the submenu, click Settings
- On the Settings page that opens, click Password Security, then scroll down and click Password Security again
- Scroll down to Use two-factor authentication. Choose an account and enter your passcode
- You’ll see a few options for two-factor authentication, including ‘Authentication App’ and ‘Text Message.’ You can choose whichever method you prefer.
- Then tap Next
- Follow the instructions to set up your preferred two-factor authentication (2FA) method. If you choose the ‘Authentication App’ option, Facebook will guide you through linking your account to the app. If you choose ‘Text Message,’ Instagram will send you a text with a confirmation code to finalize the setup.
Making your Instagram account private
- Open the Instagram app and go to your profile
- Tap the three-line menu icon in the top right corner
- Then select Settings and Privacy
- Then, you’ll see an option called Account Privacy. Tap on it
- Switch on the Private Account option. When your account is private, only people you approve can see your photos and videos.
How to set up Two-Factor Authentication on Instagram
Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible. This extra layer of security can prevent unauthorized access to your accounts, even if the scammer manages to guess or steal your password.
- Open the Instagram app and go to your profile
- Tap the three-line menu icon in the top right corner
- Then select Settings and Privacy
- In the settings menu, tap Account Center
- Then select Password and Security
- From there, you’ll see an option called Two-Factor Authentication, Tap on it
- Select the account you wish to address
- You’ll see a few options for two-factor authentication, including ‘Authentication App’ and ‘Text Message.’ You can choose whichever method you prefer.
- Then tap Next
- Follow the instructions to set up your preferred 2FA method. If you choose the ‘Authentication App’ option, Instagram will guide you through linking your account to the app. If you choose ‘Text Message,’ Instagram will send you a text with a confirmation code to finalize the setup.
Making your TikTok account more private
TikTok profiles are a goldmine for scammers because they often include real names, faces, voices, and comments that can be scraped and reused for impersonation.
How to make your TikTok account private
- Open the TikTok app
- Tap Profile in the bottom-right corner
- Tap the three-line menu in the top-right corner
- Select Settings and privacy
- Tap Privacy
- Toggle Private account ON
When your account is private, only people you approve can follow you and see your videos, likes, and follower list.
Limit who can interact with you on TikTok
- While still in Privacy settings:
- Tap Comments → set to Friends or No one
- Tap Direct messages → set to Friends or No one
- Tap Mentions → limit to Friends
- Turn OFF Contacts and Facebook Friends under Suggest your account to others if you want to reduce discoverability
These steps cut down on scam DMs and impersonation attempts that often start in comments.
How to enable two-factor authentication on TikTok
- Go to Settings and privacy
- Tap Security & permissions
- Select 2-step verification
- Choose your preferred method (Authentication app, SMS, or Email)
- Follow the on-screen steps to complete setup
Locking down your X (formerly Twitter) account
X is frequently used by scammers to impersonate friends, journalists, and companies using scraped profile photos and copied writing styles.
How to make your X account private
- Open the X app
- Click your profile picture
- Select Settings and privacy
- Go to Privacy and safety
- Tap Audience and tagging
- Enable Protect your posts
Once enabled, only approved followers can see your posts, replies, and media.
Reduce how people can find and contact you on X
- Open the X app
- Click your profile picture
- Select Settings and privacy
- Go to Privacy and safety
- Go to Chat
- Turn OFF Allow message requests from everyone
Turn off email and phone discoverability on X
- Open the X app
- Click your profile picture
- Select Settings and privacy
- Go to Privacy and safety
- Tap Discoverability and contacts
- Turn OFF: Let people find you by your email, and Let people find you by your phone
This prevents scammers from locating your account even if they already have your contact info.
How to enable two-factor authentication on X
- Click your profile picture in the upper left of the screen
- Go to Settings and privacy
- Select Security and account access
- Tap Security
- Choose Two-factor authentication
- Select Authentication app (recommended) or Text message
- Follow the setup instructions to finish
9 Steps to protect yourself from social media scammers
Even though you’ve secured your Facebook and Instagram accounts with the steps above, you still need to beware of steps you can take to protect yourself from social media scammers.
1) Have strong passwords
Using the same password across multiple platforms will always make you more vulnerable because if one account gets hacked, they all get hacked. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords for your social media accounts. A password manager will also help you keep track of all your passwords.
2) Evaluate the source of the link before clicking it
If it is an unknown website or news source, be cautious. Scammers may use phishing links in DMs, emails, posts, or text messages to infect your device with malware or capture your login credentials.
3) Be careful of anyone asking you for money
Even if they claim to be a friend or family member, scammers may use romance scams or impersonate someone you know to trick you into sending them money.
4) Closely evaluate sensational claims
Such as for a cure or treatment, a great prize or gift card, or a job offer that sounds too good to be true. Scammers may use these tactics to lure you into giving them your personal information or paying them a fee.
5) Watch out for posts with poor spelling and grammatical mistakes
These may indicate that the post is not from a legitimate source.
6) Watch out for sparse profiles
Scammers often create sparse profiles to impersonate someone else or to lure you into giving them information. They may use a photo of a celebrity, a friend, or a stranger that they found online. They may also use a name that sounds familiar or appealing. However, if you look closely at their profile, you will notice that they have no other details or activity on their social media.
7) Beware of friend requests from familiar faces with whom you are already connected
These requests may be from scammers who are trying to impersonate your real friends and trick you in some way. Before you accept any friend request, always check the profile and compare it with the one you already have.
8) Limit what you share about yourself online
Scammers may use your personal details, photos, and videos to create fake social media accounts and impersonate you. Scammers can also use this information to steal your identity or access your online accounts.
9) Report fake social media accounts whenever you find them
If you suspect a fake account, report it to the social media platform and warn your friends about it. You can also block or unfriend people who send you suspicious messages or requests.
If you suspect you’re a victim of a social media scammer
If you suspect you’re a victim of a social media scammer, you need to take urgent action immediately. Here are some immediate steps to take:
Secure your account
Immediately change your password to lock potential hackers out. If you’re locked out of your account, contact Facebook’s support immediately to recover it.
Inform your contacts
Alert friends and family so they’re aware and won’t be duped by messages or requests coming from your compromised account.
Have strong antivirus protection on all your devices
The best way to protect yourself from having your data breached by social media scammers is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. Strong antivirus software actively running on your devices will alert you of any malware in your system, warn you against clicking on any malicious links in phishing emails, and ultimately protect you from being hacked.
- Strong real-time protection against viruses, malware, ransomware and hacking attempts
- AI-powered scam protection to help identify suspicious emails, texts and websites
- Built-in password manager to securely store and manage logins
- 2 GB PC cloud backup to help protect important files from ransomware or hardware failure
- Smart firewall and phishing protection
- Protects 1, 3 or 5 devices
- Available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS
- Includes real-time threat protection, smart firewall and phishing protection to guard against online attacks
Monitor account activities
Keep an eye on your active sessions, messages sent, and any changes made to your account. Any unfamiliar activity should be reported and reversed.
Seek expert help
If you believe your personal information, such as financial data or other sensitive details, has been compromised, consider reaching out to cyber security professionals or services that can guide you on further recovery and protection steps.
Use identity theft protection
Social media scammers are constantly looking for ways to steal your personal info and use it for their own benefit. They may send you phishing emails, fake friend requests, or malicious links that can compromise your online security.
Theft protection companies can monitor personal information like your home title, Social Security Number (SSN), phone number, and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.
Exclusive CyberGuy deal: Save up to 68% today: Get Aura’s award-winning identity theft protection and credit monitoring for as low as $9/month when billed annually.
Use personal data removal services
To effectively protect yourself from social media scammers, it’s crucial to consider how your personal information might be used against you. One of the best defenses is to remove your personal data from the many websites and databases where scammers often find it. Investing in personal data removal services can help you continuously monitor and remove your sensitive information from these online sources.
These services use advanced tools to identify and eliminate your data from people-search sites, data brokers, and platforms that social media scammers might access to steal your identity or create fake profiles. By proactively using a data removal service, you reduce the chances of becoming a target of identity theft or fraud, particularly after data breaches. Moreover, many of these services offer ongoing monitoring and alerts, keeping you informed of any new instances where your information appears online and taking swift action to remove it, ensuring scammers have fewer avenues to exploit.
Exclusive Deal for CyberGuy Readers (60% off): Incogni offers a 30-day, money-back guarantee and applies a special CyberGuy discount to all annual plans, for as low as $6.39/month for one person (billed annually) or $13.19/month for your family (up to 5 people) on their annual plan.
I strongly recommend the family plan. Here's why: the scam that starts with a Google search of your name almost always ends with a call to you, your elderly parent or a text to your adult child. Protecting yourself without protecting the people around you is half a solution. At $2.64 per person per month, the family plan covers up to five people, and the people most likely to be the final target are often the ones who'd never think to protect themselves.
Get Incogni and remove your info
Related Links:
- Make 2026 your most private year yet by removing broker data
- Surprising places your personal data is exposed and how to remove it
- The Data Broker opt-out steps every retiree should take today
Kurt’s key takeaways
Just like any thriving city, our social media landscape is packed with shared laughs, precious memories, and, yes, an endless parade of cat videos. Let’s not forget that even the most charming city has its shady backstreets. To stay safe in this digital metropolis, you’ve got to be street-smart, keep your security game strong, and always keep an eye out for those tempting offers that just seem too shiny – because if it looks too good to be true, well, it probably is.
What are your go-to strategies for keeping the scammers at bay? Got any good stories or tips you’d like to share? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you by commenting below.
FOR MORE OF MY TECH TIPS & SECURITY ALERTS, SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE CYBERGUY REPORT NEWSLETTER HERE
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. CyberGuy.com articles and content may contain affiliate links that earn a commission when purchases are made.
🎙 Now Streaming: My New Podcast: The CyberGuy Report
Kurt’s Top Deals
Deals move fast and inventory can be limited, so don’t wait too long.
| 🔥 Editor’s pick  Summer entertaining Ninja SLUSHi Machine (26% off) Frozen drinks and slushies at home in minutes. | |
| 💰 Top deal  Outdoor essential TYPEC Solar Bug Zapper (36% off) Solar-powered bug zappers for patios and camping. |
