Another scam site is offering to increase a user’s Instagram followers. Unlike previous attacks, however, these sites require payment – with the amount depending on the number of followers you prefer.
Figure 1. Pricelist for Instagram followers
Despite the site’s liberal use of the Instagram logo, it has nothing to do with the service. It has a reservation form that asks for user’s name, e-mail address, telephone number, and payment information. Even if you try to fill-up the form using a dummy account it will accept the any information that the user inputs. It even has information about the site itself, as well as a FAQ page.
Figure 2. About page
Figure 3. FAQ page
In the end, however, not only does the user not get the promised followers, he has handed over his personal information to scammers. This particular site has a .RU domain name, was only registered earlier this year, and is also hosted in Russia; in fact it is one of many malicious Instagram-related domains on the .RU country top-level domain. These sites are already blocked in order to protect Trend Micro customers from these threats.
Instagram’s recent introduction of video means that more users may be looking at using the already-popular service. Users should keep in mind that all offers of added followers – whether it be free or paid – are likely scams that will steal the user’s information, money, or both.
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