Is it safe to buy on Instagram? 8 tips to protect yourself

Technology has made people's lives and routines much easier, including when it comes to shopping. Nowadays, we have a huge variety of online stores, which has also made it easier for scammers, who can prey on victims more easily.

The Nord Security study, carried out in March 2023, revealed that more than 70% of Brazilians have already been victims of at least one online scam. Among the places with the highest incidence of scams are social networks, such as Instagram.

As the platform’s popularity grows, the incidence of criminal activity also follows suit. Therefore, it is important that users know how to use the app and take certain precautions when making purchases to avoid scams. Here are some tips to help you with this!

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1 – Make sure the store profile is not fake

It is important to verify the authenticity of the profile before finalizing any purchase. A good way to do this is to analyze whether the Instagram profile has followers who interact regularly, as well as whether there is consistency in the posts, whether the photos are original, whether there are negative comments on the photos, among others. Some recognized stores have verified profiles, identified by the blue seal with the check symbol.

2 – Look for customer reviews

The most effective way to assess the reliability of a store is to look for feedback from people who have already shopped there. This can be done directly on Instagram, through comments on the store's posts, or even by searching for specific hashtags used by the brand itself. It is also worth searching for the name of the establishment on websites such as Reclame Aqui, which gather reviews and compliments related to stores.

3 – Choose direct purchases on Instagram Shop

Stores on Instagram Shop undergo an evaluation on the platform and must meet certain requirements, such as having their own website. Untrustworthy companies can be removed from this platform, which makes purchasing directly from the tool more reliable and adds an extra layer of security.

4 – See payment methods and product prices

Even though everyone likes discounts or lower prices when shopping, you need to be careful when the prices are too low, especially when the store only accepts cash and bank transfers.

This is because credit card transactions are easier to track and therefore more secure.

How do you know if a store on Instagram is trustworthy?

1 – Check if there is a physical or online store outside the social network

Even though Instagram business profiles do not always have other structures outside the platform, the existence of a business outside the social network can bring more peace of mind to the user, especially in the case of establishments that are already well-established and recognized as trustworthy.

2 – Check if the company has a CNPJ

Before making a purchase, check whether there is a company with a CNPJ behind the online store. Registration makes it easier to file complaints with Procon or take legal action, if necessary, in addition to helping you check whether the profile is genuine. Check whether the profile provides this information and check the number in the Federal Revenue database, which allows access to the registration status of any CNPJ.

3 – Check if the product photos are real

Give priority to stores that use real product photos in their posts. Although promotional photos are common in legitimate ads, using original images is a sign of greater security and that the product really exists. This practice also reduces the risk of dissatisfaction with an illusion caused by heavily edited photos that do not always match the real product.

4 – Compare prices with those practiced on the market

When viewing Instagram ads, check whether the prices in similar stores are comparable to make sure that the offer is not too low compared to the market standard. Since prices that are too low are often clues that the store may not be trustworthy, it is always worth being suspicious, because very low prices can be used as bait to attract consumers to scams.