What does the police advise Instagram users to do?
The Policía Nacional starts with common sense in its video. If you get a suspicious message on social media, do not click doubtful links, because they lead to sites that harvest personal data.
Share personal or financial details only with senders you know to be genuine. Scammers often pose as respectable organisations to win your trust.
The police warn that methods evolve fast. Messages, profiles and websites look “ever more convincing”. Their closing advice is to report a scam if you fall victim to one.
How do you report a suspicious ad on Instagram?
Tap the three dots at the top right of the ad. Choose “Report ad” and say why it looks suspicious.
The options are scam, unauthorised political advertising and restricted items. You then say whether it involves financial fraud or identity theft.
Finally, send the report to Meta, which runs Instagram. You can do it in the app, and it costs nothing.
Which scams does Meta name?
Meta names five common scams in its campaign. In romance scams, fake profiles build an emotional bond and then ask for money or data.
Fake job offers tempt you with high pay for little work, then demand an advance payment or bank details. Investment scams promise exceptional returns, often with cryptocurrencies or misused images of celebrities.
Phishing messages pose as firms, banks or platforms. Fake prize draws ask you to pay or hand over data to claim a supposed prize.
How do you protect your account?
Meta recommends five steps. Be wary of offers that sound too good to be true, and give strangers no personal or financial details.
Check the sender before you click any link, for example their followers, creation date and typing errors. You should also switch on two-factor authentication and report or block suspicious messages in the app.
Be careful with quick, easy money, never pay in advance, and read urgent messages with suspicion. Investment platforms should be registered.
Where do you turn after a scam?
Victims should report to the Policía Nacional.
The Brigada Central de Investigación Tecnológica, the police technology investigation unit, also takes reports of internet fraud. If money has already been demanded, officers advise going to a station, according to the same results.
The INCIBE 017 helpline is staffed daily from 09:00 to 21:00, also by WhatsApp on 900 116 117, according to those results. These details do not come from the official sites, so check them there.
How big is internet fraud in the Canary Islands?
In the first quarter of 2026, internet crime in the Canary Islands rose by 4%, and computer fraud by 4.6%, according to the Interior Ministry. RTVC says the pace is well below earlier quarters.
For 2023 the ministry reported 17,779 cases of internet crime, up 29.9%, including 15,872 computer fraud cases. From January to September 2025 there were 13,324 cases, up 4.3%.
There are no figures for Tenerife alone or for Instagram specifically. The police have also published nothing on cases, arrests or losses on the island.