Keep getting ‘DM to collab’ messages on Instagram? The truth about fake brand ambassador requests

Beware of scammers using the offer of brand collaboration to trick Instagram users (Alamy/PA)

No matter how many (or how few) followers you’ve got on Instagram, chances are you’ll have received a direct message (DM) from an unknown account that goes something like this: ‘Hey! I’m on the promoter team at [insert brand name] and we’d love you to become a brand ambassador! Please DM the brand to find out more.’

Often, these messages come from an account with very few followers and no profile picture, and they’ll sometimes follow up urging you to ‘Hurry, because there are only a few spaces left!’ Other times, they comment ‘DM to collab’ underneath a photo instead of messaging.