Fraudsters deceive Ukrainians by extorting money from them through TikTok

Fraudsters deceive Ukrainians by extorting money from them through TikTok

In Ukraine, scammers have become active again, posing as partners with TikTok to extract money and personal data. To avoid fraud, do not click on suspicious links and block senders of such messages.

This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD). Similar schemes have been observed before in the WhatsApp messenger using other brands.

Scammers send messages offering cooperation with a well-known company, such as TikTok. They promise simple tasks, such as "liking videos," for which money can supposedly be earned. For details, the victim is asked to click on a link or contact via WhatsApp. The scheme involves several stages:

• attracting the victim: the user is offered to complete an easy task, such as liking a few videos. After that, they are promised a small payout (100 UAH), which they might actually send to create an illusion of honesty;
• filling out a form: the victim is asked to provide personal information, including their bank card number. At this stage, scammers may use the information obtained for further manipulations;
• investment manipulations: the victim is then offered tasks that require "investing" their own money. For example, they need to transfer 300 UAH to an account and receive back 390 UAH. Initially, the scheme works, but the amounts gradually increase;
• culmination: after the victim transfers a significant amount, the scammers simply disappear, blocking all contacts.

Such schemes are not limited to Ukraine. They are global and often use popular platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, or Viber. Instead of TikTok, brands like Amazon, YouTube, or well-known banks may be featured. The goal is to steal users’ data or money.

How to protect yourself:

• do not click on suspicious links: if you receive messages promising easy money, it’s almost certainly a scam;
• do not provide your data: no legitimate company will ask you to provide your bank card number for payments without an official contract;
• block and report: if you receive such a message, block the sender and report it to the messenger’s support service;
• use official sources: always verify information on official company websites.