Hacked friend / 'is this you?' scam

A message from a friend's real account, sent by someone else.

How it works

A friend's compromised account messages you a link — 'is this you in this video?' — or asks for a code, or vouches for a grant programme that paid out for them. Because the account is genuine, the usual instincts don't fire. The link harvests your login, and your account becomes the next one sending messages.

Red flags

A link with no context from someone who never sends links
Friend asks you to receive a code on their behalf
Unprompted recommendation of a grant, giveaway, or investment
Wording that doesn't sound like them

Real-world example

"OMG is this you?? 😱 vid-clip-share.click/8823 — I can't believe someone posted this"

What to do

01Contact your friend on a different channel before clicking or replying.
02Never enter your password on a page reached from a message link.
03If you clicked, change the password and revoke unknown sessions and apps.
04Warn the friend so they can recover their account.

Related scams

Email phishing

Fake emails impersonating brands to steal credentials.

One-time passcode (OTP) scam

Someone talks you into reading out the six-digit code you just received.

Got a message that looks like this?

Paste it into the detector for a personalised analysis and next steps.

Open the detector