Fraud on Facebook and Instagram
Scammers do not run the platforms — they use them. A fake advert, a hacked friend's account or a copy of a real page is enough to take your money.
What social-media fraud looks like
Social media is where the advert, the recommendation and the fraud meet. Pages copy a real brand's name and logo, sponsored posts sell goods that never arrive, and accounts belonging to people you trust are taken over and used to ask for money. The platform is not the fraudster — it is the ground the fraudster works on, and it is also where you report it. It often begins with an account hack or the impersonation of a known brand.
“I sent money to a shop I found on Instagram and it disappeared.”
“Someone is using my photos on Instagram.”
“A friend's account asked me for money.”
“I reported a Facebook account for fraud but nothing happened.”
“The page looked official — brand name, logo and a lot of followers.”
How an account is used against you
There are three patterns worth knowing. The first is the cloned page: a real brand's name and its logo, with a link that is not the brand's domain. The second is the taken-over account: your contact's profile is hijacked and asks you, in their voice, for an urgent payment. The third is the marketplace deal that is too good — a deposit is requested before you see the item, and the profile disappears with it.
When the message comes from a friend
A request from a familiar account still needs a second check. Call the person on a number you already have — not through the same app. If the account was taken over, the thief cannot answer that call, and your friend will want to know immediately so they can secure it.
⚠️ An advert with a price far below the market, pushed by “limited stock”.
⚠️ Payment requested by bank transfer, crypto or gift card, not through a real checkout.
⚠️ A page created recently, with few posts and no contact details.
⚠️ A message from an account you know that arrives out of character.
⚠️ A link that leaves the platform for a payment page outside it.
Report inside the platform first
Use the report option on the post, page, advert or account — reporting is what gets the page reviewed and removed before it reaches the next person. For a hacked account, tell the person whose account it is so they can secure it.
Then report to the national channel
If money was sent, report through the official cyber channel for your country (below) and to your bank. Keep the profile link, screenshots of the advert and the payment receipt — the handle and the link are the evidence.
If you paid
Call your bank immediately and ask them to stop the payment or block the card. Speed decides recovery — the first hour matters more than anything you do later.
Report it officially
🇦🇪 UAE
Dubai Police eCrime (ecrime.ae, 901) · Abu Dhabi Aman 8002626 · Ministry of Interior e-Crime · emergencies 999.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Ministry of Interior e-Crime platform · report financial fraud to your bank and SAMA · emergencies 911.
🇰🇼 Kuwait
CITRA Cyber Security
[email protected] · Ministry of Interior cybercrime unit · emergency 112.
🇧🇭 Bahrain
National Cyber Security Center
[email protected] · Ministry of Interior economic & electronic security · emergencies 999.
