Fraud on Instagram: Woman loses Rs 1.25 lakh to clothing scam on Insta

Instagram clothing scams are a rising concern in this digital era. Fake accounts selling clothes on the platform pose risks to unsuspecting buyers, leading to scams and fraudulent activities.

According to The Guardian, online scammers on Instagram take advantage of the booming e-commerce trend by disguising themselves as genuine sellers and tempting users with appealing deals.

Distinguishing between real and fake accounts can be difficult, leading to unfortunate experiences like Mel's, who was deceived by a fraudulent suit advertisement on Instagram.

Instagram scammers utilise deceptive strategies to build trust with potential buyers, and Mel fell victim to a fraudulent ad impersonating Charles Tyrwhitt, a reputed store, offering a tempting closing-down sale.

Despite placing an order for her son's work clothes worth approximately Rs 1,25,000 in INR, with a promised 40% discount, the goods never arrived.

Suspicions arose due to the absence of a confirmation email and delayed delivery, leading Mel to contact the authentic Charles Tyrwhitt customer service and discover the deception.

Reporting Scams

The challenge of combating Instagram clothing scams lies in the underreporting and confusion surrounding the reporting process.

Victims like Mel often struggle to understand how to report fraudulent activities or feel ignored by the platform.

According to the report, although Mel received a refund from her bank, she did not directly report the incident to Instagram.

Many others share this frustration, but Instagram asserts its commitment to addressing the problem by enhancing systems and collaborating with law enforcement agencies to protect users from scammers.