Whether you’re trying to become a social media celebrity or simply looking to spread brand awareness on Instagram, it can be tempting to take shortcuts. There are plenty of cheap services available that allow you to buy thousands of followers for a very small price. Unfortunately, if you choose to use an app to help boost your followers, it can certainly do more harm than good.
According to an investigation by cybersecurity organisation Malwarebytes Labs, these Instagram follower boost apps are really just a way for hackers to gain access to your password and consequently send your login details to various malicious websites. If you use the same password for multiple accounts, this leaves you a lot more vulnerable to hacks on the internet.
Three more reasons you shouldn’t risk buying fake followers is: 1. Fake followers don’t care about your business
Fake followers are usually bots or inactive accounts, so there are not genuinely interested in your business. They are not likely to look at or engage with your social media posts, let alone buy from you. If no one is actually liking or commenting on your posts then it can be quite obvious that you’ve faked it which isn't good for business. 2. You can't guarantee the fake followers won't be deleted Instagram recently announced that to provide a genuine experience to its users they’ll be deleting fake followers to stop inauthentic activity. With 24 million Instagram accounts estimated to be fake, it’s more than likely a huge portion of your purchased followers will disappear overnight. This was seen in 2015, where Instagram held a purge and many celebrities and bloggers lost thousands of followers, as fake and inactive accounts were deleted. 3. Cybercriminals can steal your financial information
Influencers, Instagram businesses and even regular users sometimes fall victim to Cybercriminals who set up fake accounts that sell likes and follows. If you fall for these fake offers and provide financial information to pay for these packages, you're giving a scammer all the information they need to reap their own payday