In today’s competitive social media landscape, gaining attention and building a follower base is tougher than ever. With TikTok influencers playing a major role in our buying decisions, recognizing potential scams has never been more important.

Spotting a scam on social media isn’t always easy, especially when it’s coming from your favorite TikTok influencers. Take Elena Engelhardt and Catalin Onc, for example. This influencer couple faced severe backlash after asking their followers to fund a $11,000 vacation to Africa instead of paying for it themselves, earning them the label of “egoistical brats.”

The Repocket team emphasizes, “In a world where digital trust is a currency, it’s crucial to approach online claims with a healthy dose of skepticism and critical thinking.”

The road to TikTok fame has been a breeding ground for many influencers who sweep millions off their feet with charisma, creativity, and lifestyle. Be that as it may, where there is fame, there is a scam. Many of these influencers have been able to convince their following with well-crafted facades but are alleged to have other ulterior motives over their followers. Here are five signs that your favorite TikTok influencer might actually be a scam artist:

1. Unrealistic Promises and Over-the-Top Claims

One of the most common strategies of fraudsters is to make unrealistic and fantastic promises that sound too good to be true. For example, the influencer can say that he or she is going to guide you to rake up thousands of dollars within one week without much hard work, or he will promote miracle weight loss products that guarantee really quick results.

Example: Several TikTok influencers were called out for hyping a skincare product with ridiculous claims of dramatic results in a matter of days. Per Fortune, dermatologists said the product was causing rashes and other adverse effects, adding that the situation “needs to be addressed” because of the harm it could potentially cause.

2. Lack of Transparency About Sponsorships

To influence, influencers are required to reveal when they are paid. Omission or failure of disclosure in sponsorships/affiliations is a huge warning sign.

Example: Some “finfluencers” are thusly criticized because they promote what seems to be a questionable financial scheme without disclosure of their having a financial interest in the promotion. That scheme turned out to be a scam. Many followers got financially hurt by this.

3. Requests for Money or Personal Information

Scammers are prone to revealing an exclusive offer or having a sudden need to ask for money or personal information.

Example: Several influencers on Tiktok have asked for donations for certain causes or projects, which either look special or scream “urgent.” A lot of the time, they are just a ruse to gain money by taking advantage of the trust of their followers.

4. Pressure Tactics and Urgency

Many scams thrive on the strength of pressure and urgency. The influencers would urge the followers to make quick decisions, claiming they had limited deals or running out of stock.

Example: Offers featuring fake urgencies are most likely scams. These are “limited-time” offers that call for one to take action quickly, promising a nice catch in return. They make followers go all out sharing their personal information or purchasing something they don’t need in unlimited quantities—this is mostly conducted for data collection and sales purposes and not to live up to the promise.

5. Excessive Promotion of Products or Services

This is a red flag, especially in cases of over-promotion of some products or services, specifically those not in line with the general content created by the influencer. It means money is letting the influencer compromise valid recommendations.

Example: For instance, a fitness influencer who had gotten a lifestyle of posting fitness tips suddenly started to promote dietary supplements and weight reduction products, a sure sign that they were more into the money than genuine, credible endorsements. Social media ads are a way by which scammers are advertising their fake products, with thousands of complaints taken to the Better Business Bureau against misleading social media ads.

To spot a scammer among the crowds of thousands of TikTok Influencers, one has to be very vigilant. Being aware of the signs discussed herein will serve you well in not being one of the victims of these scams. As Jason Adler, software engineer at Repocket, insightfully put it, “In a world where digital trust is a currency, it’s very important to have a healthy dose of skepticism and critical thinking with online claims.”