2024-03-19 00:02:37
Get 500 euros for a photo on Instagram: That sounds like easy money – but unfortunately there is a nasty scam behind it.
500 euros for a photo? This offer from a supposed artist via Instagram should ring alarm bells. The photo is supposed to serve as a template for a painting. Sounds too good to be true? It is. According to “Watchlist Internet”, there is fraud behind this.
The scam is complex. Instagram users are asked for their email address because payment should be made via Paypal. At first it looks as if you really received 500 euros for your photo via the Paypal payment service – this is confirmed by an email that apparently comes from Paypal. But: The whole thing is a scam and the deceptively real email comes from criminals.
Please convert the account status
Shortly after the first email there is a note that the account status is “not that of a business customer”. This would result in a limit on the account. Here, too, the fraudsters only pretend to be Paypal in order to deceive consumers.
In order for the artist to convert the account into a business account, the Instagram user should ask him for an additional 200 euros. The artist then claims to know the procedure and agrees to transfer the additional 200 euros.
Request a refund
Another message allegedly sent by Paypal confirms receipt of payment of 200 euros. So that you finally receive the promised 500 euros, you should now transfer 200 euros back to the artist.
You shouldn’t do that, warn consumer advocates – otherwise the 200 euros will be gone. Because instead of simply earning a photo fee, you only lose 200 euros through the scam. Because the scam is nothing more than an alleged ring exchange – with the fine detail that the fraudsters never transfer money themselves, but only fake these transfers.