A new social media scam could be using your own friends to take advantage of you.
Victims say it's happening on Instagram and Facebook.
It typically starts as a message from a friend. The friend claims they've got a way for you to make money and help out a nonprofit at the same time. They explain it by saying you're helping charities avoid excessive taxes by applying for grant money.
It seems like a quick way to make money while doing good. In reality, they're just trying to take your money. It turns out these aren't actually your friends, but hackers who have taken control of the accounts of people you know.
Here are some ways to protect yourself: type links into your browser to confirm sites, never open attachments you did not ask for, and call the friend that messaged you. You can also call the nonprofit to see if this is something that will actually benefit them.
