Snapchat is the 11th most popular social media website in the world. Its monthly organic traffic is 233 million users, and everyone, from teenagers to seniors, uses it. 

What made Snapchat stand out from other social media when it first launched was its fun and interactive filters and lenses that made communication much more engaging, especially for youth. Its success even pushed apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok to adopt similar features. 

In general, there’s much you can do on this app, but communication remains the most important part of it, even for malicious individuals. 

Have you ever been sent a suspicious link or maybe reached out by someone who offered you a lucrative job opportunity on the app? If not, there’s something we need to tell you. 

Snapchat scams aren’t new. They’ve been here for a while, just like on any other app. But it’s important to be aware of what they are and how to protect yourself in case you encounter one. 

5 Snapchat Scams to Be Aware of in 2025: Here’s What to Know

Phishing Scams

Phishing is the common practice of sending links with malicious content intended to steal users’ information or make them download malware to their devices. It’s one of the most popular scamming techniques online, and it seems to be working pretty well considering the amount of individuals getting duped. 

But how can you fall for it on Snapchat? Very easily. Someone can send you a link on behalf of someone you know and get you to click on it, by, let’s say, asking you to vote in a contest or transferring money to your friend who’s in danger. They can also send such messages on behalf of Snapchat, claiming that you need to reset your password or that there’s a new update.

Romance Scams

No one is as sly and vicious as romance scammers. Now they’re operating everywhere—not only on dating apps. Fraudsters build fake romantic relationships with victims to gain their trust. The whole process may even take a few months. The main reason? Make their story plausible to convince the victim to send them money for a ticket to come see them or for a medical emergency. That’s just some of the most common stories they make up to achieve their malicious goals.

Of course, when a person transfers the money to, as they think, their online dating partner, they never hear from them again.

Fake Job Opportunities

More and more people are trying to work from home these days. It’s hard to blame them, as it’s a convenient option for parents, people with health conditions, frequent travelers, and introverts in general. Unfortunately, scammers have learned to capitalize on such people’s job-searching vulnerabilities with fake job offers. 

The main giveaway of this scam is that you’re asked to make the payment upfront for training or special software. Fraudsters also use emotional manipulation. The thing is, when someone desperately needs a job, they may not think twice about sending money to someone who offers them a cushy job, but the outcome is always the same: The victim loses the money, and the scammers are hard to track.

Premium Account Scams

For some users, it’s not enough what the platform offers for free. That’s why they purchase subscriptions to gain access to more sophisticated features the app may be offering. Scammers know how to effectively pull some strings here, too. They typically claim to offer a Snapchat Premium account with access to exclusive content.

It’s already obvious that when you make the payment, you won’t get any premium features (unless you purchase from original sources on the app). 

Celebrity Imposter Scams

Who doesn’t want to have a chat with Beyonce or Lady Gaga? Many people do. But celebrities rarely respond from their official accounts. That’s why they have private accounts on different social media platforms where they chat with their fans. Hey, we’re just kidding! They don’t!

But scammers play these tricks anyway. They claim to be celebrities who need some sort of help or offer autographs or personalized shout-outs, among other things, which hard-to-die fans fall for very quickly. But remember, no celebrity would reach out to you from an account with few followers just to offer you something and then ask for money. If you’re dealing with this now, rest assured you’re talking to a scammer waiting to defraud you.

How to Protect Yourself From Scams on Snapchat

Don’t Click on Suspicious Links

In phishing, it takes a few seconds to lose your hard-earned money by simply clicking on a link. Even if a friend or someone you’re close with asks you to open a link, make sure to check it first. Hover over it and check the URL (such as gooogle.com instead of google.com). Don’t forget to also check for “https://” at the beginning of the URL, which indicates that the site uses encryption to protect your information. 

Don’t Send Money to Anyone

No matter how lucrative a job offer or any other opportunity seems, sending money to strangers is a risky practice, especially if it involves non-traceable payment options like prepaid debit cards or gift cards. In this case, you won’t be able to return your money, even if you really want to. 

Don’t Share Your Personal Information

If you don’t want others to open credit accounts in your name or steal your refunds from the IRS, you better don’t tell your Social Security number to anyone. This concerns other identifiable data, too, like your passport number, bank account details, login credentials, medical records, health insurance information, and more.

To some, sharing this sort of data doesn’t seem as risky, but the consequences are hard to deal with. 

Report Suspicious Accounts

You can help others on the platform by reporting the suspicious accounts you encounter to Snapchat. If the user you notify the platform about violates their terms of use, they’ll be blocked in no time, which will prevent other people from being targeted.