Scams on social media
Lesson 13 of 14 in our free Scams & Fraud guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.
Shown for England. Some rules here are different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: the lesson shows your nation's version.
Reading is cool. Playing is cooler.
This lesson is a 5-minute game. Free, no sign-up needed.
The story so far
Ronnie Rugpull: Send me £50 and I'll 'flip' it into £500 by tonight. Loads of people your age are doing it.
You: His posts show piles of cash and nice trainers. Maybe it's real?
Nana: Photos are easy to fake, love. Nobody can turn £50 into £500 overnight for you. That's a scam called money flipping.
Mo: I fell for a fake giveaway once. Paid 'postage' for a games console that never came.
Chip: It happens to lots of people. The fix is the same every time: stop, don't pay, tell someone.
Nana: If an offer asks for your money, your login or your bank account, it isn't for you. It's for them.
Questions you'll answer
You already sent £20 to a 'money flipper' and now they want £40 more to 'release' your winnings. What now?
Stop paying, tell a trusted adult, and contact your bank. That's brave and the right move. Your bank may be able to help, and you can report it to Report Fraud (0300 123 2040).
Quick facts
- 'Pay a £5 delivery fee to claim the free trainers you won' → Scam. A prize you have to pay for isn't a prize.
- 'Lend me your bank card for a day, I'll give you £100' → Scam. That's how people are recruited as money mules. It's a crime.
- A school or college notice asking you to check bursary deadlines on its own website → Safe. Checking official websites yourself is safe.
- 'Sell me your account login, I'll pay you for followers' → Scam. Selling logins hands over your identity and can lock you out for good.
- A friend you know in real life telling you about a part-time job at a local shop with an interview → Safe. A real job with a real interview and a real place is a good sign.
- Red flag: “Want to earn £300 a week from your phone?” — Big money for no real work is the hook.
- Red flag: “You just let money land in your account and send it on.” — This is money muling. Moving money for someone else is a crime, even if you didn't know where it came from.
- Red flag: “Don't tell your parents, it's our secret.” — Asking you to keep secrets from adults who care about you is a big warning sign.
- Red flag: “Lots of people at your college already do it.” — 'Everyone's doing it' is pressure to stop you thinking.
- Fact: “Letting someone use your bank account can get the account closed and make it hard to get one later.” — It can also lead to a criminal record. The law treats it seriously.
- Myth: “If you didn't keep any of the money, you can't get in trouble.” — Moving it is the crime, not keeping it. Say no, and tell an adult you trust.
- Myth: “A verified tick means an account can't be a scam.” — Scammers hack and buy accounts with ticks. Judge the offer, not the badge.
- Fact: “You can report scam accounts on the app and block them.” — Reporting helps protect others. Block, report, and talk to someone.