Scams from fake social media ads have increased dramatically. Learn how to spot fake ads online.
10 Red Flags You’re About to Click on a Fake Social Media Ad
Updated on Apr. 16, 2025
How to spot fake social media ads
Does it seem like your social media feeds have more ads than updates from friends? It’s not your imagination, and worse, legitimate advertising can easily be confused with fake social media ads—which is just what scammers are counting on.
“Cybercriminals love scams that are super-cheap to run, and fraudulent social media ads fit that description perfectly,” explains Monica Eaton, CEO of Chargebacks911, a company that safeguards online transactions. Depending on the size and scope of the campaign, she says scammers can run fake social media ads for pennies: “You literally wouldn’t need much more than the loose change around your house!”
And while you might occasionally land on a fake shopping site, more often than not the scammers find you. And the losses add up. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 70% of people contacted by scammers on social media lost money. And, they lost more money than those contacted through more traditional methods—a staggering $1.9 billion. “This is a very serious problem, and it keeps on getting worse,” Eaton warns.
With so many ads inundating us, it may be hard to tell the real thing from the fakes. Reader’s Digest spoke to Eaton and Chris Hauk, a consumer privacy advocate at Pixel Privacy, to get the scoop on these online scams—and how to identify fake ads online. Keep reading to learn 10 red flags that mean you’re about to click on a fake social media ad.
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The ad is too good to be true
Sometimes, deals that seem too good to be true are legitimate, but more often they’re not. You’re better off trusting ads for brick-and-mortar stores over promotions, giveaways or advertisements for hot deals on Instagram or Facebook. Fake ads on social media are often hard to identify, so Hauk says to remember the old adage: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is—which “always applies to online ads.”
Pro tip: Look for language like “limited time offer” or “only a few left,” both of which are signs of fake social media ads.
The price point is absurdly low
Massive discounts on branded items are a telltale sign that you’re looking at a fake social media ad. Sure, sometimes you can find great deals on a pair of $300 designer jeans, but name-brand items are rarely deeply discounted without a scam component.
“There are no $10 iPhones, and Apple isn’t looking to give you a free virtual-reality headset for your feedback,” Hauk says.
Pro tip: Don’t click. “If the ad promises you valuable, high-demand brand apparel, beauty products, electronics, luxury goods or rare collectibles at a price point that’s absurdly lower than everyone else’s, it’s probably either a counterfeit product or a counterfeit store,” Eaton says. “There’s a lot of both on the internet.”
The URL doesn’t begin with “https”
If you click on a social media ad and end up at a website, check the URL. If it doesn’t begin with “https,” that’s a red flag, and they could be running a scam. Eaton says the “s” indicates a higher level of encryption security, and that’s why scam sites won’t have that little “s” at the end. Plus, “http” sites are cheaper, she adds.
“So, if you see an ad that sends you to a website that’s ‘http,’ please be extra careful, especially if it’s (allegedly) from a well-known e-store, hotel, airline or any large, international brand,” Eaton says. Most mainstream e-commerce sites begin with “https,” including Amazon, Walmart and Target, as do major airlines, banks, car rentals, hospitals, social services and hotel chains, according to Eaton.
Pro tip: Rather than clicking on an ad to see the advertised deal, Google the company and find the brand’s legitimate website. Then manually search for the deal you saw, Hauk says. If a deal’s on the up-and-up, it will be on their website.
It asks for your credit card information first
It’s a red flag if requests for payment information come before other details, or if they direct-message you asking for credit card info. Even worse is when they send a link to pay via a third-party app, like Zelle or PayPal, potentially opening you up to becoming the victim of a bank scam.
“When the unsuspecting consumer plugs in their credit card information, scammers use the data to steal from their bank account,” Eaton says.
Pro tip: To protect your online security, never submit your personal data, share your credit card info or click on a link, especially if you’re dealing with a seller on social media. Another tip? Never use your debit card online. Eaton suggests using a credit card, preferably one with enhanced consumer protection.
“If you get ripped off, a debit card offers extremely limited protection, and if you fail to catch the fraudulent charges quickly enough, you could literally lose every last penny in your bank account,” she says. Your liability from phony charges on your credit card is limited under federal law, but Eaton says the same protections aren’t extended to debit cards.
The social media account follows you
Opportunistic scammer accounts mimic real social media profiles, and even buy followers to help them look legitimate. The imposter’s social media account might look like the real one, but if the imposter account starts following you or messaging you, that’s a red flag.
If this happens, take a close look at the username, and also search for the real account. There’s likely an underscore or extra letter indicating that one is a fake account. They’re going to follow you so you think there’s an actual person behind the account, but don’t be fooled.
Pro tip: Check the ratio of followers to engagement. People who buy followers will have low engagement compared with their follower number, and the comments will tend to sound generic. If you get a link from one of these fake social media accounts, absolutely do not click on it or you may become a victim of a common cyberattack known as phishing.
You are unable to comment
If an account has comments turned off, this is a red flag—and a great way of identifying fake ads online. Comments help drive engagement, and while there are some cases when a legitimate account may turn off comments—when it’s a topic that’s controversial and might ignite hateful comments, for example—that’s not usually the case when you’re shopping.
When it’s a scam profile, comments are usually turned off because the scammers don’t want to invite customer service questions, or have people gripe about the product they ordered that never arrived.
Pro tip: Leave the site or profile if comments are disabled. “Remember that the goal of a fraudster is to separate you from your financial data,” Eaton says, so if social media scammers try to limit your interaction with them once they have your information, it’s a big red flag.
The image looks legitimate, but isn’t
Scammers have increasingly sophisticated tools at their disposal. In minutes, they can recreate almost any brand, logo or image to mimic an original. You can look for inconsistencies, but Hauk says they’re often hard to spot. “Don’t rely on the appearance of an ad and its connected website, as the bad actors of the world have become more adept at impersonating legitimate firms,” Hauk says.
Remember: A legitimate-looking image, paired with other red flags, can still be fake.
Pro tip: Don’t be fooled by well-designed ads. “Fraudsters deliberately design ads and build counterfeit websites that look legitimate,” Eaton says. “They’ll mimic the style, font and color schemes of the brands they’re trying to copy.” Close the ad, and visit a known, legitimate website when looking for deals.
There are too many five-star reviews
It might sound counterintuitive, but too many glowing reviews is a red flag. “No product or service is universally beloved by everyone,” Eaton says. “There’s almost always a mix of opinions, and I’d feel much more confident buying a product with a 4.6 rating and thousands of reviews, than a product with a dozen ratings that are all 5.0.”
AI scams are becoming more common, so look for signs of reviews written by artificial intelligence. “Is there nothing but five-star, super-glowing, ultra-hyperbolic recommendations that all sort of sound like they were written by the same person or the same bot?” asks Eaton. If so, that’s a red flag, especially if the reviews are attached to a too-good-to-be-true offer.
Pro tip: Trust your intuition and use common sense. “If you had to be completely honest, does [the review] sound sort of illogical?” asks Eaton. If so, walk away.
There are very few hashtags
Hashtags serve various purposes, but the ultimate goal is to reach more people and drive traffic to the company’s social media or website. If a social media post isn’t using hashtags, that can be suspicious, but it also makes sense. If someone is selling counterfeit Nike, they’re not going to use #Nike in a post—because that’s a surefire way to get caught.
Pro tip: Check for a sponsored tag. Some ads on Instagram have a sponsored tag on top of them in order to differentiate them from other posts. This is a sign the social media ad is legitimate.
They ask you a lot of questions
Because AI is becoming more sophisticated—almost every day, literally—it’s important to be savvy online. If you hit the like button on a social media post and receive an instant reply—and then every time you respond you receive another question—you might be communicating with an AI-powered chatbot. The rapid-fire questions might come faster than you can answer, hoping to get you to impulse buy or click out of a sense of urgency.
Pro tip: Eaton says to take note of how the advertiser tries to follow up with you. If you respond to a social media ad, and the advertiser insists on carrying on a conversation, Eaton says that might be a red flag, especially if they’re quickly trying to get you to their payment page.
These chatbots are trained to work on you psychologically, so if you find you’re pressured to click or carry on a “conversation” you don’t want to, beware. Follow safe online social media practices, watch out for red flags and protect yourself from social media scams.
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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of articles on personal technology, arming readers with the knowledge to protect themselves against cybersecurity threats and internet scams as well as revealing the best tips, tricks and shortcuts for computers, cellphones, apps, texting, social media and more. For this piece on fake social media ads, Jaime Stathis tapped her experience as a journalist who has written dozens of articles about scams and digital security for Reader’s Digest to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We rely on credentialed experts with personal experience and know-how as well as primary sources including tech companies, professional organizations and academic institutions. We verify all facts and data and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Federal Trade Commission: “Spot an Ad on Social for a Low, Low Price on a Brand Name Product? Think Twice”
- Federal Trade Commission: “Top Scams of 2024”
- Monica Eaton, CEO of Chargebacks911; interviewed, October 2022 and April 2025
- Chris Hauk, consumer privacy champion at Pixel Privacy; interviewed, October 2022
