Common scams when buying social media accounts and subscriptions, and how to spot them

Social media accounts and premium subscriptions are some of the most popular digital things people buy, and some of the easiest to get scammed on. Here are the tricks to watch for.

1. The account that gets taken back

You buy an Instagram, TikTok or X account. It works for a few days. Then the seller uses the recovery email or phone number, still linked to their details, and takes it back. Sometimes they sell the same account again.

How to protect yourself: make sure the recovery email and phone number are changed to yours, and that you can turn on two-factor login with your own details. If the seller refuses to hand over recovery details, don't buy.

2. Stolen or hacked accounts

Some accounts for sale were stolen from their real owners. The real owner can report it and get it back, and you lose your money. Buying a stolen account can also put you on the wrong side of the law.

Warning signs: the seller can't explain how they got the account, the account's name or history doesn't match the seller, or the price is suspiciously low.

3. Fake followers sold as real

An account with 50,000 followers sounds great until you notice its posts get almost no likes or comments. The followers are bought or fake. They won't engage, and platforms remove fake followers in clean-ups.

How to check: look at likes and comments on recent posts, not just the follower count. Real audiences interact.

4. "Lifetime" subscriptions for a tiny price

Streaming, design and AI subscriptions are often sold as "1 year for a fraction of the price" or "lifetime access". Usually this means a shared login used by many people, an account paid for with a stolen card, or a trial that ends soon. These get cut off, often without warning.

It happened to my friend Tunde. He saw a "Netflix Premium, 1 year" deal on a WhatsApp status, much cheaper than the normal price, so he paid by transfer. The login worked at first. A few weeks later Netflix logged him out: the account had been shared with many buyers and the real owner changed the password. When he messaged the seller, he had been blocked. With escrow, he would have had time to check the account before any money reached the seller: whether he could change the password and email, or whether it was just one login shared with many people. A shared login is the warning sign. He could have opened a dispute right there.

How to check: ask exactly what you get. Is it your own account in your own name, or a slot on someone else's? How long does it last? What happens if it stops working?

5. Fake proof of payment

This one hits sellers. A "buyer" sends a screenshot of a transfer that never happened, or an edited bank alert, and asks for the account straight away.

How to protect yourself: never hand anything over until the money is actually in your account, not just in a screenshot.

6. "Pay one more fee to unlock it"

You pay, and the seller says there's an activation, transfer or verification fee before you get access. Then another one. This doesn't end.

Rule: if the price changes after you pay, stop.

Know the platform's rules

Many platforms don't allow accounts to be sold or transferred, and they can suspend an account at any time, even one that was sold honestly. Before you buy, accept that risk or skip the deal. A good seller tells you this upfront.

How escrow helps

Most of these scams depend on you paying first. With escrow, your money is held until you have logged in, changed the recovery details and checked that everything works. Only then is the seller paid. See What escrow is, and why you should use it when buying online.

On PlugZone, plugs who sell social media accounts must confirm they created and own the account and are allowed to hand over the login, and stolen or hacked accounts are banned. If you don't release or open a dispute before the listing's review window ends, the money is released to the plug automatically. Escrow protects you during the review window only. Once the money is released, there is no warranty, so do these checks in time, and get the plug's answers in the order chat. Read the Rules for plugs.

The marketplace is opening soon. Create a free account now, so you're ready when it opens.