You’re scrolling through Facebook or TikTok and see it.
A flash sale from a brand you recognize. A limited-time investment opportunity. A job posting that promises quick money.
The ad has comments. The account looks polished. Maybe someone you follow even liked it.
So you click.
From there, things move fast. You’re pushed to act quickly, enter your information, or send payment before the “deal” disappears. And just like that, the money is gone or your account is compromised.
This isn’t an edge case anymore. According to new FTC data, nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam in 2025 said it started on social media, with total losses hitting $2.1 billion.
That’s why McAfee+ Advanced includes comprehensive protection designed to help you spot and stop scams at every step, including McAfee’s Scam Detector, which flags suspicious links and messages and explains why they may be risky, along with identity and privacy tools that help protect your information if a scam slips through.
How Social Media Ad Scams Work
A social media ad scam is when scammers use paid ads, fake profiles, or hijacked accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok to promote fake products, services, or investment opportunities in order to steal money or personal information.
| Step | What happens | What to do | How McAfee helps |
| 1 | You see an ad, post, or DM promoting a deal, job, or investment | Don’t engage immediately, even if it looks legitimate | Scam Detector flags suspicious links and messages before you interact |
| 2 | The ad links to a website or moves you into DMs | Avoid clicking unfamiliar links or continuing off-platform | Safe Browsing helps block risky or newly created websites |
| 3 | You’re pressured to act quickly or “secure your spot” | Slow down and verify the company independently | Scam Detector explains urgency tactics and why they’re risky |
| 4 | You’re asked to pay, share login info, or download something | Never send money or credentials based on a social media interaction | Identity Monitoring helps protect your personal data if exposed |
| 5 | The product never arrives, the investment disappears, or your account is compromised | Report the scam and secure your accounts immediately | Personal Data Cleanup and monitoring help reduce ongoing exposure |
Red Flags To Watch For
- Deals that feel unusually cheap or urgent
- Ads linking to unfamiliar or slightly misspelled websites
- Requests to move conversations off-platform quickly
- Payment requests via apps, crypto, or wire transfer
- Accounts with limited history or inconsistent engagement
And that is the first part of This Week in Scams! This Friday we’re taking a different format to talk about this new FTC data and all that it reveals.
Let’s keep digging in:
FTC Report: Social Media Scams Are Now The Most Costly Fraud Channel
New data from the FTC shows just how dominant social media has become in the scam landscape.
- Social media scams drove $2.1 billion in reported losses in 2025
- Losses have increased eightfold since 2020
- Investment scams alone accounted for $1.1 billion of those losses
Where Scams Are Happening And What’s Changing
| Category | What to know |
| Most common scams | Shopping scams lead, with over 40% of victims reporting purchases from social media ads that never arrived |
| Most costly scams | Investment scams drive the biggest losses, often starting with ads or group chats showing fake success |
| What’s changing | Scammers are using platform tools like ads, targeting, and profile data to reach people more precisely than ever |
How Scams Play Out Across Platforms
| Platform | How scams typically start | What to watch for |
| Ads, Marketplace listings, hacked accounts | Fake stores, duplicate listings, urgent purchase pressure | |
| Sponsored posts, influencer impersonation | “Limited drop” scams, fake brand collaborations | |
| TikTok | Ads, stolen videos/profiles, comment links, bio links, | “Get rich quick” schemes, external link funnels, reselling via TikTok |
| Group chats, investment communities | Fake testimonials, coordinated pressure to invest |
How McAfee Protects You from Scams and Cyber Threats
McAfee+ Advanced gives you multiple layers working together so you are not left figuring it out after the damage is done:
- Identity Monitoring alerts you if your personal info shows up where it should not, so you can act fast
- Personal Data Cleanup helps remove your information from data broker sites, making you harder to target in the first place
- Scam Detector flags suspicious texts, emails, links, and even deepfake videos before you engage
- Safe Browsing helps block risky sites if you do click
- Device Security helps detect malicious apps or downloads
- Secure VPN keeps your data private, especially on public Wi-Fi
McAfee Safety Tips This Week
Our advice based on this week’s scams and schemes:
- Treat social media ads like any other unknown source, not a trusted recommendation
- Pause before clicking, especially when urgency is involved
- Verify brands by going directly to their official website
- Avoid sending money or personal information through social media
- Use tools like Scam Detector to check suspicious links before engaging
And we’ll be back next week with more scams making headlines.
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