The Latest Snapchat Scams You Need To Avoid

The 8 Most Common Snapchat Scams Right Now ‍

From fake job offers to romance scams and blackmail, Snapchat scams are getting more aggressive and personal. According to the latest data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans lost nearly $2 billion to social media scams last year, with many starting on Snapchat.

Scammers use the platform to steal money, harvest personal information for identity theft, and solicit explicit images that they can later use for blackmail or extortion.

The most alarming part? Snapchat users can be as young as 13 years old. Here are the top eight Snapchat scams you need to know about.

1. Friend account recovery scams

Scammers know you’re more likely to trust messages from friends. If your friend’s account gets hacked, the scammer may impersonate them to target you.

One common trick: scammers, posing as your friend, claim to be locked out of their account and ask you to “help them recover it” by sending a code. But that code is actually for your own account. Once you share it, the scammer hijacks your profile and may demand money to give it back.

2. Money-making scams 

Grifters also pose as friends to promote fake advertising gigs, investment opportunities, or influencer sponsorships on Snapchat. To draw you in, they tell you they’ve already made thousands of dollars — and that you can, too.

All you need to do is send them a deposit to sign up. Once the scammer receives your payment, they cut off all contact.

In a similar scam, someone may ask for your login credentials to “set up” the sponsorship. Once they access your account, they use it to push the same scam on everyone in your friends list.

3. “Friends” who need money or help cashing checks 

Hackers can also use your friends’ accounts to ask for money. They might make up a story that tugs on your heartstrings, like claiming their pet got hit by a car and needs surgery. You, being a good friend, send them money. Then they disappear.

Some con artists, posing as friends, go further. They may convince you to commit bank fraud by depositing a fake check and sending them the money in cash, Bitcoin, or gift cards. When the check bounces, you lose the money you sent, plus $35 to $45 in bounced check fees from your bank.

4. Other impersonation scams

Snapchat scammers might even pose as trusted figures, like local businesses, nonprofits, and celebrities, and message you with seemingly legitimate requests. Versions of this scam include:

• Fake surveys. You may be approached by an account pretending to be a company representative or even a student working on a school project. While the survey may seem harmless (and you may be promised compensation), it could ask for sensitive information like your Social Security number (SSN) or link to a website that installs malware on your device.
• Phony contests. To participate, swindlers say you must “verify your identity” or make a small payment. Once you send your information or money, they vanish.
• Charity scams. Scammers request donations and direct you to third-party websites that steal your credit card details.

5. Phishing scams to take over accounts

In these phishing scams, you get fake emails or text messages that look identical to real emails from Snapchat. These messages contain links prompting you to “log in” to your Snapchat account in response to an urgent claim:

• Your account has been compromised
• Your account was “accidentally reported”
• Your photos will be deleted or leaked, or require verification to remain secure
• You’ll get access to special content or discount codes
• You’ll receive something valuable, like concert tickets or Amazon gift cards

But when you click on the link, you won’t be logging in to Snapchat. This dummy site is just a way for scammers to collect your username, password, and any other personal information you enter — which they use to hijack your account.

Just last year, a Chicago man was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison after running a nationwide Snapchat phishing scheme. He tricked over 700 college-aged women into handing over their credentials, then used that access to steal and distribute their private photos.

Related: 10 Text Message Scams You Didn't Know About (Until Now) →

6. Snapchat romance scams

Because Snapchat posts disappear, the platform is a popular site for casual dating. Scammers use this to their advantage, roping people in by using:

• Other dating sites. If you connect with a fraudster on a dating app like Tinder or Bumble, they often ask to move the conversation to Snapchat. Once there, they may ask for explicit photos or videos and threaten to share them if you don’t send more.
• Catfishing. Scammers use stock photos of attractive people to build fake accounts and strike up romantic conversations. After they dupe you into thinking there’s a genuine connection, they ask for money, Bitcoin, gift cards, or intimate photos. Some even demand access to your account to “prove” you’re not talking to anyone else.
• Meetup scams. If your location is visible, scammers might message you claiming they want to meet in person. They ask for money to cover gas or a bus ticket, cancel at the last minute, and try to reschedule; they hope to get even more out of you before disappearing.

7. “Sugar daddy” or “sugar momma” scams

A sugar daddy or sugar momma is an older person who offers gifts or money in exchange for companionship from a younger user known as a “sugar baby.” These scams tend to play out in one of three ways:

• Upfront payment requests. The scammer claims you need to pay certain shipping fees or demands a payment as “proof of loyalty.” Once you send the money, they vanish.
• Bank account access. They say they want to deposit funds to help cover your bills, but instead use your account details to drain your money.
• Fake payments with refund requests. The scammers send you money using a fake check or stolen gift cards, then ask you to return a portion as a “thank-you” or to buy their next gift. After you send the money, you find out that the original payment was worthless; you're left covering the loss.

It's not just adults falling for these scams. In one case, a 17-year-old boy was approached on Snapchat by someone posing as a “sugar momma.”

She sent him fake checks, told him to keep a cut, and asked him to forward the rest via Zelle. By the time the checks bounced, the money was gone and so was the sugar momma.

8. “Premium” account scams

While there’s no such thing as an official “Premium Snapchat,” the term took off in the mid-2010s. Adult creators — and scammers posing as them — charged users on Venmo or Zelle in exchange for access to private, explicit content. A 2019 WIRED report described it as a “titillating cottage industry” that operated entirely outside of Snapchat’s controls.

Scammers would promise exclusive content in exchange for a one-time payment, then either disappear or use fake websites to steal credit card information.

As of February 2025, Snapchat offers a formal monetization program, but not for adult content. This allows eligible creators to earn ad revenue and receive fan gifts; none of these tools support nudity or paid access to private content. Anyone offering this is likely violating Snapchat’s rules or running a scam.

How To Tell a Fake Snapchat Account From a Real One

Snapchat has its fair share of social media influencers, so separating real accounts from scammers can be difficult. To identify a fake account:

1. Check their Snapscore. This will show if they’re actively using the platform. If they claim to be an influencer and have a Snap score of just a few hundred, it’s likely a scam.
2. Look at the Snap map. Does their real-life location match what they say in their profile? 
3. Do a reverse image search of their photos. Scammers often steal profile or Story images from other places. Upload a photo to Google Images to see where it came from.
4. Google the organization. If someone is asking to meet up with you or pitches a too-good-to-be-true job opportunity, do some quick research to verify that the person and the company are real.
5. Read their messages carefully. Scam messages tend to have misspellings, incorrect grammar, or awkward phrasing.
6. Check for a Bitmoji. Most real Snapchat users have one. If someone doesn’t, that could be a red flag. If they claim to be a celebrity, look for a Snap Star badge; you’ll see a yellow star next to their name.

Rethink any requests for your login information, money, donations, photos, or any personally identifying details (including those of your friends).

Shut Down Snapchat Scammers

If you believe you’re being targeted by a fake account or your account has been hacked:

Use Snapchat’s in-app reporting feature; block suspicious accounts 

Snapchat’s in-app reporting allows users to report scams, concerning content, and inappropriate behavior (like harassment) to their Trust and Safety teams. To report:

• Snaps or stories: Press and hold → Tap on Report Snap → Fill out the form.
• Snapchat accounts: Press and hold the Snapchatter’s name → Tap on More (or the gear button) → Tap on Report → Follow the instructions.
  
  • If it’s not a public account, you’ll see a similar option under Manage Friendship.

Snapchat says its team responds to most reports within 24 hours. In the meantime, block any questionable Snapchatters so they can’t contact you or see your content. 

If Snapchat’s safety team finds that the user you reported violated its Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, the content will be removed, and the account may be shut down.

Test your scam-spotting skills: Try Aura's Spot the Scam quiz to learn how to identify the latest scams.

Report your compromised account to Snapchat

When a Snapchat account has been compromised (also known as “hacked”), it means that it’s been accessed by someone who is not authorized to use it. Your Snapchat account may be hacked if:

• You keep getting locked out of your account
• Other users are receiving spam from your account
• You get an alert that someone logged in to your account with a different device or from a different IP address
• New contacts get added to your list without your permission
• Someone changed the mobile number or email address associated with your account

Before you contact Snapchat Support, try changing your password. If you request a reset link, it will be sent to the email address and mobile number in your Snapchat Settings, so be sure those are up to date.

If you still can’t regain control of your account, file a report on the web with Snapchat. A representative will verify your identity, but won’t ask for your password or My Eyes Only passcode.

Report suspicious activity and identity theft to the authorities

Snapchat may or may not alert authorities, depending on what you reported. If you’ve been the victim of financial fraud or sextortion, file a police report. Bring any supporting evidence, like screenshots of your communications, to help them with the case.

You can also report suspicious behavior to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and identity theft to the FTC at ReportFraud.FTC.gov. Both agencies share information with law enforcement to support ongoing cases.

Related: Is Snapchat Safe For Kids? What Parents Need to Know →

To Prevent Snapchat Scams, Do This:

• Be wary of all links and QR codes in messages, even if they come from your friends (whose accounts may be hacked) or look-alike Snapchat emails. Official URLs will include the Snapchat domain (Snapchat.com), and you won’t hear from Snapchat Support unless you contact them first. Consider using antivirus software to block malware and other dangerous sites.
• Never add strangers to your friends list or accept unknown friend requests, even if the person claims to be someone you know. Avoid sharing your location, full name, or any other personally identifiable information (PII) on your profile or in your Snaps. And never send money to anyone you don’t know.
• Text, email, or call your friends if you see suspicious behavior. If you suspect a friend’s account has been hacked, tell them to contact Snapchat support directly.
• Don’t share your login credentials or trust threatening messages claiming to come from Snapchat. Snapchat will never leak your images, ask for your password, or request your My Eyes Only passcode.
• Create a strong password. Use a hard-to-guess combination of at least 16 upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Don’t reuse your password for any other platform. A password manager can help you generate and store all of your unique passwords.
• Set up two-factor authentication (2FA) — but not SMS. 2FA makes your Snapchat more secure by sending a single-use code to your device every time you log in. Since hackers can bypass SMS authentication if they get access to your phone, it’s safer to set up your 2FA with an authenticator app.
• Forget linked devices. To unlink, go to Settings → Tap on Two-Factor Authentication → Tap on Forget Devices → Tap on the X next to each device you want to forget → Tap on Yes.
• Adjust your privacy settings. Limit who can send you Snaps, view your Stories, see you in Quick Add, and find your location on Snap Map in your privacy settings. Consider turning on Ghost Mode, so no one can see where you are.
• Keep your account information updated. Your email and phone number will help verify that your account belongs to you if you ever lose access to it.
• Join Family Center on Snapchat. Parents over 25 can see their children’s friends lists and whom they’ve interacted with on Snapchat in the last seven days. For added safety, parents can also restrict teens’ access to certain content.
• Stay up to date on the latest scams. Use Aura's spot the scam quiz to help you practice identifying the warning signs of common scams.

These steps can help you (and your teen) avoid identity theft. But they aren’t foolproof. Aura’s family protection plans help keep an eye on your kids’ online activities, blocking potential phishing sites and allowing you to manage how much time they spend on apps like Snapchat.

Plans also come with built-in SSN and three-bureau credit monitoring for you and your children, with up to $5 million in identity theft insurance.