Here is How to Spot an Instagram Influencer Scam
Don’t get fooled by them.
I have already discussed how to spot a romance scam in a previous article. I am a pro at it. There are still Romance Scammers who want you to get off Facebook immediately, and other dating sites so they can get on WhatsApp. WhatsApp is confusing to me. So, that is a big huge no.
Sadly, Facebook employees still do not recognize that these scammers are real and allow them to take advantage of others. But that’s not the point of this article.
The most recent thing I have noticed, and I’m sure many of you have too, is Instagram Influencer Scams.
As I write this, I am doing my research on how to become an influencer. However, I know I won’t become rich from it. But, it’s a great side business.
Imagine you logged onto your Instagram page and noticed someone had messaged you. Let’s say the message comes from Lariall Jewelry (they messaged me a few hours ago), Ambassador Sunglasses (which I was about to join, but it turned out to be a scam) or Devil Treasures (They offer occult jewelry, and I got duped out of $30 in shipping and handling fees.). You get a message from a representative of that company who wants you to be their ambassador or influencer.
You sign up on their phony website. Then the bot instructs you to choose a product to advertise, apply the FREE100 coupon, and only pay exorbitant shipping expenses. You get the product and begin advertising it. However, this company will not pay you. It is a scam.
Or sometimes, the product that you ordered from this brand doesn’t arrive. At that point, you realize it’s a scam.
How do these companies do this?
First, they set up a website and upload photos from others, like, say, Alibaba or eBay. Next, they open an Instagram account. They might also create more accounts on the app. Then these scammers post pictures. After that, they find a website that offers them fake followers. This is to make them look credible. In reality, they are not.
What are the signs that this is a fake company?
The first indicator is usually how many followers they have. This is a red flag if they just created their profile and suddenly get a million followers. Look at how many comments this company receives. If there are few, then that is another red flag.
Check out some of their followers to determine whether they are real or fake. Fake accounts usually have no followers or very few. See what they write under their photos. It might be worth checking out other companies doing the same scam that is following this one.
Next, do a Google search for this company. See what comes up. If there was a link saying that it is a scam, then it probably is. Try searching for reviews, or ambassador or influencer program reviews about the company. That’s another way that you will find out that they are fake.
The last step is to visit the company’s website. Does it look good? Does it look as though it was copied and pasted? Check out the price of their products. If it is too expensive, that is a warning sign. Try to look at one of their items. Search for the product’s image on google or enter what it looks like on sites like eBay, Alibaba, Amazon, and other shopping ones. That company is a fake if the item is the same, but way cheaper.
How do I find a Real Brand that is looking for ambassadors or influencers?
I am currently at the stage where I am interested in becoming an influencer myself. I am following at least two of these recommendations. You will need to choose among these three options. If you wish, you can do them all.
- Join an Influencer Agency. However, you still have to do the research if these companies are real or not. I have added myself to two or three of them. One of them rejected me. But I am sure there will be one that will give a 40 something year old woman clients to promote.
- You can also approach your favorite brand and tell them you want to be an influencer. Finding your brand is easy. The hard one is the pitch. It is like what you do when you are networking in order to secure a job or clients. Only this one is done by email. You can search online to find a template. But you need to make it your own so that you can brand your personality and how they can benefit from having you as an influencer.
- Do you know anyone who runs a small business? Ask them if you can advertise their products or services on social media. The only downside is that you don’t get paid for doing this. However, this is great when you get to mention this when pitching to large or medium-sized brands.
Even if you don’t have enough followers to become an influencer, you can still do it. There are brands out there that are looking for micro influencers. Several of them are small businesses, while others are medium-sized and large. They aren’t concerned about the number of followers you have. After a couple of years, you may never know how many followers you’ve gained if you become an influencer.
Last, I forgot to mention that if you want to be an influencer, legitimate companies will give you their products for free to sell on Instagram. You won’t have to pay a penny, not even shipping and handling. Plus, they will never message you on social media either.
Real Influencers, is this article accurate?
References
Chakravarti, A. (2021, March 24). Beware of these fake influencer scams, phishing scams on Instagram. India Today. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/beware-of-these-fake-influencer-scams-phishing-scams-on-instagram-1782937-2021-03-24
Detecting Fake Influencers: Everything You Should Know About Influencer Fraud. (2021, February 1). Influencity. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://influencity.com/blog/en/detecting-fake-influencers-everything-you-should-know-about-influencer-fraud/
Emma. (2019, March 7). How to Find Brands to Work With as a Microinfluencer. Emma’s Edition. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://www.emmasedition.com/2019/03/find-brands-to-work-with-blogger.html
Exposing Instagram SCAM Companies | don’t fall for these! (2021, December 17). YouTube. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCag3h5eCOs
How To Find Brands To Work With In 2022. (n.d.). Breonna Queen. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://www.breonnaqueen.com/find-brands-to-work-with/
10 ways to spot an Instagram collaboration scam. (n.d.). Vanity Owl. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://vanityowl.com/spot-an-instagram-collaboration-scam
Weber, N. (n.d.). 61 Fab Fashion Brands Looking for Influencers in 2022. Afluencer. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://afluencer.com/fashion-brands-looking-for-influencers/
Zote, J. (2019, July 23). What are Fake Influencers and How Can You Spot Them? Sprout Social. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from https://sproutsocial.com/insights/fake-influencers/
