According to The Pew Research Center, 73% of adults in the United States have experienced an online scam or attack‡. Social engineering scams are one type of digital fraud schemes and are often deployed through social media.

Below, we define social engineering and offer tips to help you protect yourself from social engineering scams on social media.

What is social engineering?

Social engineering is the psychological manipulation of our natural human tendency to trust what we see and who we interact with. Social engineers are masters of manipulation tactics.

Consumer scams often have an element of social engineering at the heart of the scheme: romance scams, imposter scams, and even con artists rely on manipulation to gain access to your accounts or convince you to hand over money or information.

Social engineering risks on social media

Social engineering involves tricks and deception to convince a target to divulge personal information, which may be used for fraudulent purposes. These attackers often seek access to accounts, information to be used against someone, or financial exploitation.

On social media platforms, scammers manipulate victims by using the inherent openness of online interactions for their own gain. Social engineering risks on social media include:

  • Account impersonation: Scammers may create fake profiles that closely resemble those of your friends or family, and they may even pretend to be from your bank. This is called an imposter scam. They might request money, encourage you to click on malicious links, or convince you to share personal information. Always verify the authenticity of any requests before acting by contacting the person or entity at a verified, known phone number.
  • Phishing attacks via message: Scammers may send messages or create fake websites mimicking the appearance of legitimate banking platforms or government agency websites, aiming to trick you into providing your personal or financial details. Be cautious of unsolicited messages asking for sensitive information.
  • Fake offers, investments and contests: Fraudsters often exploit social media platforms to advertise fake offers, giveaways, or “incredible” investment opportunities. These scams may require you to provide personal details, share sensitive information, or pay fees. Remember if an opportunity doesn’t make sense, they won’t give you details without all your information or payment up front, or if it seems too good to be true, it is probably wise to skip it.

What are imposter scams?

Scammers use social engineering tactics, such as a false sense of urgency or fear, to persuade their victims to act quickly, without thinking, and provide passwords or other information resulting in account takeover. Bad actors can pretend to be from well-known companies, government agencies, or even your bank.

Always pause to consider if the request makes sense and contact your banker for help if you have any concerns about your account security. When contacting your bank, check official bank documents for a good phone number to call to avoid using a “spoofed” phone number.

What should I avoid sharing online?

  • Anything that could answer a security question: The street you grew up on, your pet’s name, your first car, the place you got married, etc.
  • Real-time locations or when you’ll be on vacation
  • Family members’ names or photos (an option is to set them as private to your network)

These pieces of information can make it easy for a talented social engineer to target you. By pretending they know things about you or your family, they can work to convince you to engage with them. They can also use technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to manipulate voice recordings or images.

How can I protect myself from scammers on social media?

Be cautious about sharing sensitive information online or over the phone, especially passwords or account details. You should also be skeptical of unsolicited emails or messages requesting personal information. Always verify the authenticity of any communication before responding.

And, finally, always place a call to the bank, family member, or friend (on a trusted number) to verify whether there is truly a problem, a hacked account, financial trouble, etc. if you get an unusual message.

Do not engage with the individual who is asking questions, calling, texting or sending you messages until you can confirm they are the real person or business. Instead, end the call or conversation and find the bank’s phone number on the back of your cards or on your account statements to ensure you have a legitimate phone number.

Remember, social engineers are master manipulators who want your data and your money. Stay wary on social media to protect your information and privacy.

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