By Voung H.
Voung oversees BSA/AML, fraud prevention, and sanctions compliance and is responsible for building data-driven controls and partners across the FIGFCU to safeguard the credit union, its Members, and stop emerging threats.
SUMMARY
- Scammers use fake digital profiles, e-vites, and messages to build trust before asking for money or information
- Common scams to watch for include romance scams, investment scams, impersonation scams, and online marketplace scams
- Red flags that may signal a fake profile: urgent requests, inconsistent stories, or pressure to use private messaging apps
- To help protect yourself, slow down, verify the source, and never share passwords, passcodes, or account details
- If you think you were targeted, save evidence, report the profile, and contacting your financial institution quickly
A new friend request. A message from someone who seems familiar. A party invitation. A professional-looking profile offering advice. A romantic connection that feels genuine.
Fake digital profiles are designed to earn your trust. Scammers use them on social media, dating apps, messaging platforms, online marketplaces, and professional networking sites to start conversations that can eventually lead to financial fraud.
The person behind the profile may pretend to be a romantic interest, an old friend, an investor, a recruiter, a buyer, a seller, a customer service representative, or even someone connected to your community. Their goal is to get you to share information, click a link, send money, or move funds somewhere they control.
How do fake digital profiles steal money?
Fake profile scams usually start with a conversation, not a direct financial request. The scammer may comment on your posts, send a friendly message, invite you to a party, offer business advice, or build a personal connection over time. Once trust is established, the request changes.
They may ask you to help with an emergency, invest in a “guaranteed” opportunity, send money through a payment app, buy gift cards, transfer cryptocurrency, or provide a one-time security code. They may also send links to fake websites that capture your login credentials or financial information.
The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) reported that scammers often tailor their pitch based on information people share on social media. Some invent a crisis that requires money, while others casually introduce investment advice that leads victims to fake investment platforms.
Common fake profile scams to watch for
Fake e-vites
Who doesn’t love receiving a party invitation? Unfortunately, some party invites are anything but fun. An online invitation may appear to come from a friend, coworker, local organization, or a familiar event platform. Unfortunately, the link can lead to a fake RSVP page designed to steal personal information, login credentials, payment details, or even access to your device. Be cautious with unexpected invitations, especially if they ask you to sign in, enter financial information, pay a fee, download an attachment, or act quickly. Before clicking, verify the event through a trusted source, check the sender’s email address carefully, and contact the person or organization directly if anything feels off.
Romance scams
A scammer may create a fake dating or social media profile, build an emotional connection, and then ask for money. The reason may sound as innocent as they want you to pay for a plane ticket so they can fly out to meet you, or urgent, such as medical bills, a family emergency, or trouble accessing their own funds.
Be cautious if someone you have never met in person asks for money, especially if they want payment by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, or payment app.
The same is true if you receive an unexpected or urgent digital request for money from someone you know. Scammers may impersonate an old friend or use a stolen profile picture to appear legitimate. In these cases, always contact the person directly by phone or in person to verify the request before taking any action. This helps ensure their account hasn’t been compromised or that you’re not dealing with a fake profile.
Investment scams
Some fake profiles pose as successful investors or financial mentors. They may show screenshots of large returns, promise low-risk gains, or invite you to a private investment platform. According to the FBI’s IC3 2025 Annual Report, investment scams ranked third of all types of scams reported to them by consumers. Sadly, they ranked number one in losses, with scammers stealing more than $8 billion from consumers.*
These scams can be especially convincing because the fake platform may appear to show your money growing. However, the site may be controlled by criminals. Fake investments include, but are not limited to, real estate, penny stocks, pyramid schemes, digital assets, and cryptocurrency.
Investment scammers may contact you via social media, text, or dating sites.
Impersonation scams
A fake profile may pretend to represent a financial institution, government agency, well-known company, or customer service team. The message may claim there is suspicious activity, a failed payment, a refund, or an urgent account issue.
The scammer may ask you to “verify” your account, share a passcode, click a link, or move money to protect it. A legitimate financial institution will not ask for your online banking password, PIN, or one-time passcode through social media or an unexpected message.
Online marketplace scams
Scammers also use fake buyer and seller profiles on online marketplaces. They may send fake payment confirmations, ask you to refund money that was never sent, request payment outside the platform, or pressure you to ship an item before payment clears.
Red flags of a fake digital profile
A fake profile may not always be obvious, but these warning signs can help you pause before money or personal information is at risk:
- The profile has few posts, a limited history, or very polished photos.
- The person quickly wants to move the conversation to text, WhatsApp, Telegram, or another private app.
- Their story changes, or the details don’t add up.
- They avoid meeting in person or video chatting.
- They create urgency, secrecy, or emotional pressure.
- They ask for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or payments via a payment app.
- They ask for login credentials, account numbers, verification codes, or personal information.
- They offer guaranteed returns or unusually fast profits.
The FBI has also warned that criminals may use generative AI to create realistic images for fictitious social media profiles used in romance schemes, investment fraud, impersonation, and other social engineering scams.
How to protect yourself from fake profile scams
Start by slowing down. Scammers often rely on urgency, emotion, and secrecy. Taking time to verify can help protect your money.
Search the person’s name, photos, phone number, business name, or message wording. A reverse image search may reveal that a profile photo was stolen from someone else. Contact companies, financial institutions, or agencies directly using a trusted website or phone number, not the number or link provided in the message.
Never share your online banking username, password, debit card PIN, Social Security number, account number, or one-time passcode with someone who contacts you unexpectedly. Be especially careful with payment methods that are difficult to reverse, including wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, and some instant payment apps.
You can also reduce your risk by limiting what strangers can see on your social media profiles. The FTC recommends adjusting privacy settings, so scammers have less personal information to use when building a convincing story.
What should you do if you think a fake profile targeted you?
Stop communicating with the profile right away. Save screenshots, messages, usernames, phone numbers, payment details, and any links you received. Report the profile on the platform where you were contacted.
If you shared financial information, clicked a suspicious link, or sent money, contact your financial institution as soon as possible. Quick action may help protect your account and reduce additional risk.
You can also report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). IC3 accepts reports for cyber-enabled fraud and scams, even if you are unsure whether your situation qualifies.
Final thoughts: Be aware, cautious, and skeptical
Fake digital profiles are designed to look and feel trustworthy. They may seem friendly, professional, romantic, helpful, or urgent. But if an online request asks for money, sensitive information, or urgent action, it is worth taking a step back.
Before you click, pay, share, or transfer, pause and verify. A few extra minutes can help protect your identity, your accounts, and your financial well-being.
Remember: We will never reach out first by phone, text, or email asking for any personal information, usernames, passwords, or one-time security codes. If you receive any call from any number or person claiming to be an employee of the Credit Union asking for this information, no matter how urgent or convincing they may be, HANG UP AND CALL US DIRECTLY AT 800.877.2345.
If you receive an email stating that your username, password, phone number, email address, etc., has been changed and you did not initiate this change, please contact us immediately.
This article is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended as financial or legal advice. Members should contact the Credit Union for guidance regarding their individual situation.
*Federal Bureau of Investigation, “2025_IC3Report.pdf.” www.IC3.gov. Accessed 8 June 2026
