This is a recent online scam that really taught me a lot about how easily digital media can manipulate people. Recently, on Instagram, I saw a post saying that one of my favorite brands was on sale, so I went to look at the page. It looked somewhat legitimate: it was decorated with high-quality photos and professional designs, had hundreds of followers, and comments from satisfied customers. Altogether, everything looked believable enough that I clicked the link in the bio, browsed the website, and ended up buying a few items at an unbelievable-sounding discount. Days went by… and then weeks went by… and nothing ever arrived. That’s when I knew I’d been scammed, and shortly after, the “store” disappeared from Instagram along with my money.

This, quite plainly, had the sole aim of deceiving people into buying things that were not even there. Scammers use Instagram because it’s highly visual, fast-paced, and based on trust-users naturally assume something is real because the posts are well-designed and the followings are large. It worked by creating a fake e-store that reuses stolen images of real brands. The website seemed professional, the checkout system worked just like any other online store would, and confirmation emails looked legitimate upon first glance. To make it all the more believable, the Instagram page utilized fake reviews and automated comments from bots saying things like “Just ordered mine!” or “Can’t believe these prices!” It was all structured to make sure people didn’t stop and question whether the sale was real-to create urgency and excitement. Now, upon reflecting, there were several ways I could have identified the store as fake, and these could also serve to help others who do not make the same mistake I did. First, I should have checked to see whether the company has an official website or real social media accounts that I could compare with the one offering the sale. The usernames of fake pages usually contain some variation that makes them a little off, or are recently created, or inconsistent with posting. Second, I could have looked for online reviews other than on Instagram; after all, real stores will have a sort of web presence other than one site or platform. Third, the prices were just too good to be true; there were huge discounts on most of the items. Another clue was the fact that there was no indication of security when paying through their website; no legitimate website does not use secure checkout symbols such as “https” or a lock icon in the address bar. And lastly, I could have direct messaged the brand’s page to verify whether or not the sale was real. Losing money was frustrating, but the experience did teach me about the importance of slowing down and verifying before I make any purchase online, especially if there’s involvement with social media. The scammers rely so heavily on visuals, impulse buying, fake credibility, and a sense of urgency to trick people, whereas a few quick checks may help them spot the warning signs before it’s too late. Hopefully, in return, someone will be prepared the next time they see a sale which seems a little too perfect.