Watch Out for Apps That Sell Instagram Followers and Likes but Also Steal Passwords

Likes have become a kind of social currency in our world, and the more likes you get on your posts, videos, and photos, the more valuable your account seems to become. If your content on social media apps is liked, an illusion is created that what you are posting somehow has value. This is something that many businesses and individuals have exploited for financial gain. The formula is simple: the more likes and followers one has, the easier it is to sell products and services, and that might range from homemade candles to names. With the rise of a social media influencer, an endorsement from someone with a familiar name can be much more profitable than a costly ad campaign. Everyone from stay-at-home moms to business-savvy teenagers can sell products better than professional admen these days, and that is why becoming a social media influencer has become something that kids want to be when they grow up.

The problem is that the social media world is saturated with influencers who are often willing to attach their names to anything just so that they could earn money. That often includes questionable diet teas, costly memberships, cheap clothing made by brands that have no regard for their workers, or personalized merch. It seems that everyone with at least a small following is making t-shirts and hoodies these days. And the market is only growing. According to a Mediakix report, it is estimated that brands will spend up to $15 billion on influencer marketing by 2022. The report also revealed that 79% of brands preferred to work with Instagram influencers for their campaigns, as opposed to the influencers on Facebook (46%), YouTube (36%), Twitter (24%), and LinkedIn (12%). Instagram celebrated its 10-year anniversary just a few weeks ago, and it now has 1.08 billion users. Of these, 25 million are brand accounts, and 80% of all users follow at least one of them. 60% of Instagram users find new products using the platform. So, it is no wonder why people are trying so hard to grow their followings and become attractive influencers.

The rise of the Instagram bot

Not everyone is able to grow their Instagram profiles organically. It takes time, knowledge, and skill. Posts have to be attractive. Hashtags have to be relevant. And, on top of all that, the user has to find an audience. Although Instagram’s own profile has the most followers on the platform, the biggest accounts are those belonging to a soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo (241 million), a global pop star Ariana Grande (204 million), and an action movie favorite Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson (201 million). Of course, the most popular people on Instagram are those who have careers and are well-known outside of the platform. However, there are plenty of Internet star types, who start their careers on social media and then venture outside of their chosen platforms. These are the people that influencer wannabes are trying to emulate, and they are using Instagram, for example, to create their own brands. Some people become famous instantly because of their interesting perspectives, unique ideas, or, in some cases, provocative content. Others need to work hard to gain a following and, at the same time, paying brands.

While most people choose to put in the work and grow their following slowly, others turn to the not so legal practice of buying fake followers and fake likes. Websites and apps are set up to sell thousands of followers, likes, and shares in bulk, and, according to the New York Times, some sell 1,000 bots for as little as $17. Almost anyone can afford that, and the same report suggests that even celebrities participate. So, what are Instagram bots? As described by AIM, “Instagram bots are services that allow a company to acquire followers onto their Instagram profile. […] These bots will follow other accounts, like posts and leave comments on targeted lists of Instagram accounts to help increase reach, followers, and engagement on a companies account.” Basically, they can add fake likes to any account to grow virtual presence.

Virtual privacy can be traded for popularity on Instagram

Although Instagram bots can create believable-looking profiles with stolen photos and elaborate bios, the platform is actively deleting fake accounts. That, of course, does not stop those who are trying to profit from desperate Instagram users, who are willing to pay for fake likes. Some even prey on people with offers of free likes and followers. The thing that many people do not consider is that free Instagram likes scams exist. And that is nothing new. Mashable reported of such a scam back in 2013. A free app called InstLike was created for both Android and iOS users, and quickly became one of the top apps on Google Play and App Store. At least 100,000 people downloaded and signed up for the service, and while it did offer free likes and followers at first, users had to pay for the service afterward. They were also given more free likes and followers if they introduced new users to the app. What people did not understand was that even though they gained the fake likes and followers they wanted, they also lost their privacy. The app stole passwords.

This free Instagram likes scam is not the only one, but people often see no harm in downloading apps and signing up for services that offer fake likes and followers for free or a small fee. If a user falls for the free Instagram likes scam, they might allow cybercriminals to hijack other accounts that might use the same or similar login credentials. Unfortunately, people often reuse and recycle their passwords, and so it is easy for hackers to guess logins and take over, in most cases, much more sensitive accounts. In some instances, they are even able to hijack popular Instagram accounts to, for example, sell products for the already established follower base. This could even be used to promote services that offer fake likes and followers, which, in turn, could help schemers find more victims.

If you have ever bought fake likes and followers, or you have signed up for services that offer fake likes and followers for free, the first thing you should do is cut your ties with schemers. Delete the app, delete the account, and delete all fake followers. Then, if a password has been involved, make sure that the same one or a similar one is not used on another account. If it is, change it immediately. We suggest that you turn this situation around by making your passwords stronger. A reliable password manager can effectively generate strong passwords and make it easy and safe for you to access them at any point. With this tool at hand, you will never need to fear forgetting strong and complex passwords ever again.

Sadly, with the social pressure of having an active virtual presence, even those who do not care about making money from their accounts might be tempted to boost their following and add fake likes to unpopular posts. Hopefully, people will choose privacy more often than the false validation that fake likes add.