This fake Best Buy account convinced some users, hoping to snag a free gift card, to click the shortened URL.
Image: Instagram
Airlines are one of the most popular scams, leading followers to fake websites to input personal information.
Image: Instagram
The best way to ensure that these scams are not legitimate is to contact the company directly and ask about the promotion.
Image: Instagram
This Ray-Ban scam is a dead giveaway; note the complicated follow-up directions. You have to repost, tag, follow, comment and like.
One of the latest scams convinced indebted students that their debts would be erased by student loan giant Sallie Mae.
Image: Instagram
A popular scam in circulation is the Green Dot MoneyPak scam. Scammers tell you that they have a relative that works at Walmart or Walgreens who has rigged the Green Dot MoneyPak Card machine to add extra zeros to the amounts on the card. All you have to do is buy a card for $2, and the scammer will add zeros to the amount.
Image: Statigram
Weight loss scams are rampant on Instagram. The mobile photo app lends itself perfectly to this type of scam, because it's easy to post oh-so-convincing before and after photos.
The product does exist, in the same way all weight loss products exist, but don't work. Here's one review from an unsatisfied customer, and it's by no means the only one.
Image: Statigram
Some scams aren't attached to a specific brand, and therefore should be easier to spot.
Don't text or call someone you don't know based on the promise of a "get rich quick" promotion, especially if they use the tag #noscam. It's a scam. We promise.
Image: Statigram
Calling out other scams does not make anyone more trustworthy. Remember: If it seems too good to be true, it is.
Image: Instagram
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You'd be surprised how often that sort of obviously bogus, too-good-to-be-true scam works. While most people have programmed themselves to avoid the spam that hits their email inbox, social networking scams are becoming more and more common — and harder to spot. According to the 2012 Norton Cybercrime Report, one in 10 users have fallen for a social media scam.
See also: 10 Red Flags You're About to Get Scammed
Instagram makes it surprisingly easy for scammers. The low barrier to entry means that users are more likely to like or share a picture, because what could it hurt? Well, even a like can give scammers access to personal information like your username, real name and even location.
Scroll through the gallery above to see the ones that have tripped up users in the past. Below are a few tips for avoiding a potential scam:
1. Does the profile name have "giveaway" or "_ig" in it? If so, it's probably not legitimate. Think about it — why would a company create a new profile just for promotions and have to build up a following all over again, when they already have a profile?
2. Check the pictures posted on the account. This seems like a no brainer, but have they been posting for an extended period of time? Are the pictures more than just offers for free stuff? Is there even more than one picture?
3. Are the rules and regulations for the contest clearly displayed? No brand would post a contest without covering the fine print first.
4. Are you asked to share personal information, like an email address, or worse, your password? No legitimate company would ask you to do this. Ever.
5. Does the contest require that you click on a shortened URL? Not cool. It's probably leading you to a less than trustworthy site that can put spyware or malware on your computer.
Now that you're armed with a little more cyber-scam knowledge, get out there and post your selfies with confidence.
*There is no contest and Mashable will be providing no such prizes. But you should share this article anyway.
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Image: Flickr, aresauburn