According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), individuals seeking to regain access to their social media accounts increasingly fall victim to fraudulent schemes. These deceptive companies offer assistance in account recovery, typically demanding payment.
However, many users have reported escalating costs without successful account recovery. Moreover, during this process, there's a concerning trend of these companies requesting sensitive personal information from their clients.
A consumer informed BBB Scam Tracker of this incident after receiving communication from a company via Facebook Messenger. They estimated that for $100, they could recover her Instagram account.
They stated that they had completed the service but required an additional $130 to acquire software to "complete the task." she has paid.
They asserted that the account was irretrievably lost, but they could delete it for an additional $50 (this time to acquire "deletion software"). It remained undeleted.
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Recovering Social Media: Scammers New Schemes
Every day, hackers and scammers get better at disrupting the lives of people on social media to make money. The thieves know how frustrating it is to suddenly not be able to get into your account for some reason.
According to the Better Business Bureau, scammers often use their victims' feelings to get them to act without thinking things through first.
Recently, the BBB has heard of several scams that look like this:
Someone is trying to figure out how to get back into their Facebook, Instagram, or X account when they come across an ad for a company that says it can help you do that for a fee.
They might agree to it if they are frustrated and powerless. Unknowingly, the same hacker who locked your account is the company that wants to help them.
Moreover, to retrieve their accounts, individuals encounter organizations claiming to offer assistance in exchange for payment. Individuals are discovering that the fees accumulate to the point where their fund is never recovered. During this phase, the organization may request personal information.
A significant suggestion by the BBB is to refrain from paying for the recovery of one's social media account and instead refer to the official social media support page.
"We want consumers to understand it's so important to take a step back and investigate before they take advantage of this offer," said Carmen Million, President and CEO of South Central La. BBB.
Additionally, they wish to emphasize to customers that changing their passwords is free.
How to Avoid Scams on Social Media Recovery
It is essential to safeguard oneself against social media account recovery schemes in the digital age. According to the BBB, paying for the recovery of a social media account is never advisable.
Each platform offers its procedure for free recovery. For account-related inquiries, it is crucial to consult the official help pages of these social media platforms, as advised by the FTC.
Additionally, protecting your personal information is crucial. Disclosure of sensitive data to unauthorized parties, including login credentials and banking information, can result in substantial liabilities.
Always remember that authentic account recovery does not necessitate payment or the disclosure of personal information.
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