Social media impersonation scam: what you can do

Two versions of this scam

The first version starts with a genuine friend’s account being taken over, often after they clicked a phishing link or reused a password. Messages then go out to their contacts, including you, asking for an urgent loan or help with a payment.

The second version uses a profile built to look like someone real, sometimes copying photos from an actual person’s public account. It can also be a persona built up over weeks or months of friendly or romantic conversation. Both versions rely on the same thing, borrowed trust.

Because the account or persona looks familiar, the request can feel less risky than one from a stranger, even when the amount or situation is unusual.

Why the first request feels reasonable

The first ask is often modest, framed as a short-term favour: help paying a bill, a phone top-up, or a small loan until “payday”. This makes it easy to say yes without much thought.

Once you have sent money once, later requests feel like a continuation of an existing arrangement rather than a new decision each time. The amounts and urgency tend to increase gradually, following the same pattern seen in other online scams.

A genuine friend in a true emergency will usually be reachable by phone, not only through the same chat where the request appeared. If they cannot be reached that way, a real emergency can usually wait for a short verification call.

How to verify without confrontation

Message or call the person through a separate channel you know reaches them directly, such as a phone number saved before this conversation started. Do this rather than replying in the chat where the request was made. A short “just confirming it’s really you” is a reasonable thing to say to any real friend.

If the relationship exists only within one platform, ask for a live video call where you can see and interact with them in real time. Refusal, poor excuses, or a call that looks pre-recorded are strong signs the account or profile is not who it claims to be. The same caution applies to a cloned voice message claiming to be someone you trust.

What to do next

Stop sending money and report the account or profile to the platform it is on, which can lead to it being suspended. Save screenshots of the conversation, any payment details, and the profile link before it disappears. Warn any mutual friends who may also be contacted from the same account.

Report to the police, including the Commercial Crime Investigation Department. If a transfer was recent, contact your bank about a bank recall and call the National Scam Response Centre on 997. Read about the first hour after a scam for the order to follow next.