9 of the Biggest TikTok Scams to Watch Out For in 2026

There are many TikTok scams on the app — from bot accounts and phishing to bogus products and a fast-growing wave of AI-powered schemes. Thanks to generative AI, scammers can now create convincing deepfake videos and cloned celebrity voices, making these scams harder to spot than ever. One way to avoid TikTok scams (and other online scams) is to get familiar with what they look like.

You’ll learn some practical tips for avoiding scams if any come your way. Keep reading to learn about these common TikTok scams and what to do if you've been scammed on TikTok, including how identity theft protection software can help cover you.

1. Easy money offers and fake giveaways

Many people are susceptible to the temptation to make easy money. With this scam, the criminal will lure you in with claims of large financial rewards for a little effort on your part. Often, these accounts also promise that if you do what they ask, someone famous will give a large sum of money to a random user. Likewise, watch out for credit repair scams or people offering to fix your credit.

When you are approached with an offer that’s too good to be true, it’s because it is. No one is going to give you tons of money, gift cards, or fix your credit score for liking, following, or sharing information on an account.

2. Duplicated celebrity and influencer accounts

Celebrities and influencers are often subject to impersonation. Scammers usually duplicate aspects of the real celebrity’s accounts. They steal this content to gain more followers.

The scammers often promote their fraudulent content once the account looks more authentic. One of the scams they use is to try to convince users to invest in cryptocurrency. They may even claim to donate to charity.

Look for any red flags with these accounts. That could be bad grammar or the imposter sending you a direct message. If you receive an enticing offer, go to the celebrity’s official website. If you don’t see any mention of it there, it’s likely a scam.

3. AI deepfake and voice-cloning scams

The fastest-growing TikTok scams use generative AI. Scammers create realistic deepfake videos and cloned voices of well-known figures, such as Elon Musk, MrBeast, and Taylor Swift, who appear to endorse a cryptocurrency exchange or a "free money" giveaway. TikTok specifically warns about "synthetic or manipulated media" used to fake celebrity endorsements of cryptocurrency or currency giveaways.

These videos usually redirect you to a third-party site that offers a promo code supposedly credited to your account with bitcoin. When you try to withdraw the funds, the platform demands an upfront crypto transfer to "verify" your account — and once you send it, the money is gone. A related tactic uses AI-cloned voices to impersonate a friend or family member in a fake emergency, pressuring you into sending money quickly.

No legitimate giveaway or investment requires you to send crypto or pay a fee upfront. Be skeptical of any celebrity endorsement of a crypto deal, watch for unnatural movements or audio glitches in the video, and confirm any offer through the person’s official, verified accounts.

4. Romance scams

There are legitimate dating sites and apps for someone looking for a romantic connection. TikTok may not be the best place to get to know someone new. Romance scammers will often write the sweetest words and try to hook you through psychological manipulation. They prey on people genuinely looking for love.

If you feel like your heart’s in too deep, follow your head. If something seems off, pay attention to your gut — cut ties and leave it alone. Always take things slowly, because scammers will profess their love quickly to make money fast.

If you’ve never met this person in public, stay safe on social media and don’t exchange money. You can also copy and paste the text and enter it into a search engine to see if anyone else has come across this game player.

5. Bot accounts

Bots are automated accounts that interact with you through a preprogrammed script. Since they’re designed to be sophisticated, it may take you a while to realize there are no good intentions. The goal is to communicate with you long enough to redirect you to a website that can infect your device or trick you into giving up sensitive information, such as your bank account details.

If you sense that you’ve been targeted by a bot, try to identify any unusual phrases in your chat. You may also get weird demands that don’t make sense to you. Try not to interact with strangers on TikTok, and if you find you’ve been chatting with one, cut off communication.

6. Phishing

You may receive a TikTok phishing email in your inbox offering to verify your badge, increase your followers, or sponsor you in some way. If you click the link, you’ll be redirected to another site that asks for your TikTok login information. Once you give your credentials over, the hackers will have control of your account. They may even lock you out of the account altogether.

If you get random emails, the best thing to do is not open them. If you open the emails and think they could be phishing attempts, don’t click the links.

7. Adult content scams

These scams often offer to show you videos or pictures of an adult nature in exchange for payment. They may even offer to direct you to another social media platform. These accounts will advertise adult dating websites, which are sometimes the ones paying the scammers to trick people. Many times the pictures and videos you see have been stolen from other accounts.

The ultimate goal of the adult content scam is to steal your credit card information. The criminals will promise premium content for your money. The easiest way to avoid this is not to share your financial information on social media.

8. Bogus products and services

Since TikTok launched its marketplace, it has given vendors a way to sell items at reduced prices. The problem is, the actual product is often not what was advertised. After the goods have been purchased, the seller may disappear from TikTok. Other times, the product is no longer offered. At times, the posers pretend to be real brands like L.L. Bean or Wayfair.

If something sells for an unbelievable price, it may be best not to trust it. Don’t waste your money on a bogus product. Also, make sure you buy only from reputable places you’ve heard of and from those with a blue checkmark next to the account name. Those accounts are verified by TikTok as genuine businesses.

9. Promoted scam apps

TikTok contains fake accounts that may promote scam apps. These accounts try to convince you to download the app, which may cost you money, and you may end up with a virus on your device after installation. You could also be spammed with ads or malware that steals your data.

Don’t download random apps you don’t know anything about. They will often charge you for services you can get for free elsewhere. Read reviews of all apps in your app store before you download them. If you see low ratings, that’s a warning sign.

Other TikTok scams to watch for

TikTok’s own fraud and scams guidance flags several other schemes that turn up on the platform. Keep an eye out for these:

• Job scams: Unsolicited offers promising high pay for little effort. They often require a "registration fee" you never recover, or collect your personal details for use in later scams.
• Investment, Ponzi, and pyramid schemes: Offers promising high returns with little risk. Ponzi schemes pay earlier investors with money from newer ones, while pyramid schemes rely on constant recruitment.
• Loan scams: Fake "lenders" who ask for an upfront deposit to release a loan, then go quiet once you pay.
• Money mule scams: "Easy money" offers that ask you to move funds through your own bank account for a commission — which can make you an unwitting participant in money laundering.
• Donation scams: Fake charity or crisis appeals that ask you to send money directly or hand over personal information.
• Lottery and prize scams: Messages claiming you’ve won a prize you can only collect after paying a fee or tax.

Who is being targeted by TikTok scams?

With TikTok skyrocketing to over a billion users since its launch in 2017, it’s no surprise that scammers would want to jump on board. Many of these people create fake accounts to lure you into providing sensitive information to commit identity theft.

Younger users are among the frequent targets of TikTok scammers, which is one reason many parents feel that kids on social media are unsafe. They worry about privacy issues.

Other people often targeted by TikTok scams are those looking for love and those looking to make a quick buck. As the platform widens its audience, anyone could be duped by these cybercriminals.

What to do if you’ve been scammed on TikTok

Sometimes good people get scammed by bad imitators. It happens to the best of us, even when we are diligent about online safety. Some of these accounts seem legitimate, and it can be difficult to tell the difference.

Fortunately, if you’ve been targeted by a TikTok scammer, there are steps you can take to mitigate the damage. If you’ve gotten scammed, remember to take these steps as soon as possible:

1. Report the incident to TikTok.
2. Change your password for TikTok. We recommend using a password manager for extra password security.
3. If you’ve lost money, consider contacting the police.
4. If you’ve given out any banking information, call your financial institution and report it immediately.

Tips to stay safe on TikTok

Being on social media can be a fun experience. It lets you engage with others and offers tons of entertainment. When you apply some tips to protect yourself, you won’t have to worry as much about getting scammed. With cybercriminals looking at the most popular social media platforms, TikTok is a target-rich environment.

Remember, celebrities and TikTok will never contact you asking for money or your account credentials. You can report scammers to TikTok and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Update privacy settings

If you're not ready to delete your TikTok account, keep it private so fewer users can see it. Only allow your friends to send you messages, so you don’t get emails from strangers.

Use antivirus apps

You can also invest in antivirus software, which often comes with phishing protection. Here are some antivirus apps with perfect third-party test scores and anti-phishing features.

Norton Mobile Security scans for app, internet, Wi-Fi, and device security to help protect your iPhone or Android device from cyber threats. You can download Avast Mobile Security and Avast Secure Browser for iOS and Android. All three apps have over 4.5 stars on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Bitdefender offers iOS and Android apps, including a free Android app, so you can try it risk-free before committing to a paid plan.

Don't click unknown links

Steer clear of email links from users you don’t know. Even if it looks like a TikTok link, it could be a virus.

Use 2FA

Take security a step further with two-factor authentication. That helps keep hackers from resetting your password to access your account.

Bottom line

As the audience on TikTok has grown, so have the scammers seeking to take advantage of its popularity. That may seem a bit overwhelming, but remember there are ways you can protect yourself, such as being aware of how these cybercriminals operate.

Don’t buy products or exchange money if something appears too good to be true. Keep your TikTok account private and only accept messages from your friends or people you know.

TikTok can be entertaining, and you can even learn a few things while you’re on the platform. With our safety tips, you can enjoy being on social media while keeping your online presence secure. 

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