Cyber swindlers are said to be able to steal up to 15,000 euros per month with stolen Instagram accounts. To get to the coveted social media accounts, the criminals use a simple but effective method. As social media expert Felix Beilharz found out during the research for the book “#Fake”, the fraudsters send direct messages in which they point out an alleged copyright infringement. In order to react to the allegation, users should click on a link provided. However, it does not lead potential victims to an official Instagram page, but to a deceptively real-looking replica. There, users are again asked to log in with their access data. A nasty trap, because this is how the fraudsters get all the information they need to snatch the account under the nail. Just change the password briefly and you are locked out.-
But how do cyber fraudsters benefit from the fraudulent accounts? The stolen profiles should prove to be coveted goods on the Darknet. Especially if the victim has many followers or is even verified by a blue tick. Criminals are said to earn several thousand euros a month from trading. A prospect that, according to the author, provides incentives, especially in less affluent countries. To protect themselves from the scam, users should therefore not react to direct messages from unknown users. We strongly advise against this, especially if they have spelling and expression errors. In addition, the principle applies that you never enter your access data on third-party websites, no matter how real they look. Two-factor authentication, as offered by Instagram and other social media in the meantime, offers additional protection. You need two pieces of information in combination to log in.-
