An Instagram "brand deal" wanted my bank details first

A DM from a “skincare brand” offered a paid collab; I had about ten thousand followers and wanted the validation.

They sent a contract PDF, then “finance” asked for routing numbers and online banking login to “verify a micro-deposit.”

I almost screenshotted balances.

A friend who works in fintech saw my message and told me to stop; the profile was gone the next day.

Influencer scams trade fake exposure for bank access.

Real brands use platform tools or known domains—never full login requests.

A smaller account felt hungry for the first “real” deal, which made the red flags easy to ignore.

Reverse image search on their logo pulled a stock graphic pack sold on a craft marketplace—not a corporate asset.

The near-miss left me feeling like an impostor; I almost lost more than money.

I verify brand outreach through press or official emails only and keep creator banking in a low-balance business account.

• Never give bank logins for “verification.”
Use agencies and in-app collaboration tools when possible.
• Report fake brand accounts to Instagram.

For more help, see our Report a scam page and Spot and avoid scams guide.