Overview
The victim expects to become a model, influencer, "muse," or ambassador for a brand on social media, or expects to get a gaming sponsorship.
How It Works
The scam typically starts with a targeted reachout on a social media app such as Instagram.
The scammer offers the victim what appears to be a lucrative opportunity, and builds up the victim using flattery.
The scam is that the victim is ultimately charged application fees, sponsorship fees, fees for modeling photos or other training, or 'free' ambassador products where you 'only' pay for shipping, and so on.
Related Articles
Related Crime Schemes
A particular instance of this scam may embed one or more of these related schemes.
Advance Fee Scheme: In an advance fee scheme, the scammer asks for a small upfront fee in advance of providing a larger payout later. In reality, the larger payout never arrives.
Bait and Switch: A bait and switch is a scheme that makes a promise of one item but delivers a different, lesser-valued item.
Fraudulent Platform: Any scheme that relies on custom built software that assists the crime. Includes fraudulent trading platforms, fraudulent clickworking platforms, and the like.
Only Pay Shipping: A scheme in which the victim is asked to pay shipping for otherwise 'free' products. The products are either not worth the inflated shipping cost, or they never arrive and the whole scheme was to get the victim to pay shipping costs for a non-existent product.
Overpayment scheme: In an overpayment scheme, victims are told they have been given a large amount of money as part of the scam and are asked to refund a smaller amount back to the scammer. In reality, the initial overpayment does not exist.
Victim Targeting Context
The scammer may use one or more of the following techniques to reach the victim.
Targeted Conversational Approach: The scammer approaches the victim through targeted, topical online conversation.
Social Engineering: Psychological Manipulations
The scammer may use one or more of these psychological techniques to accomplish the scam.
Flattery: The scammer uses praise or flattery to increase the likelihood that the victim will go along with the scam.
Peer involvement/Social proof/FOMO: The scammer uses the victim's peers to encourage the victim to engage in the scam, claiming that "others are doing it" or suggesting that the victim will miss out. Often the peers are also scammers.
Scarcity: The scammer claims there is only a limited number of opportunities for reaping the benefits from the scam.
Social Engineering: Impersonation Techniques
The scammer may impersonate one or more of the following groups as part of the scam.
Business or NonProfit: The scammer impersonates a business or nonprofit.