New social media scams on the rise among young people

As social media grows, scammers are finding new ways to target users.

Con-artists know what techniques to use for specific age groups. For the younger generation, social media scams are a threat.

The Better Business Bureau said it is seeing a rise of scams on the popular app Snapchat.

It happens like most other social media scams, where scammers will ask for help with money or present the victim with a fake opportunity.

The Better Business Bureau said the scammers on Snapchat target younger people because they might not have a history with scams.

“As parents, you want to have a conversation with your teenagers,” said Jeremy Johnson, the Eastern Idaho marketplace manager for the Better Business Bureau. “Most teenagers aren’t well versed in being scammed, and that’s why a lot of the younger demographic gets targeted. They’re not well versed into all of the things that can happen to them because they’re just kind of getting into the world of finance and all of those things.”

The Better Business Bureau said that anytime someone asks for payment or your information, block that user, delete the message and keep scrolling.