Common Video Chat Scams to Avoid
From fake premium upgrades to blackmail attempts, video chat platforms attract scammers. Learn the most common schemes and how to protect yourself. Awareness is your best defense.
Blackmail Scams
Blackmail scams involve someone recording your video chat and then threatening to distribute the recording unless you pay money. This is a crime. Do not pay. Report the user to the platform immediately.
The threat usually arrives via email or a different platform — they found your contact information somehow. what-if-recorded situations often escalate into blackmail attempts.
If you are being blackmailed, document everything, do not delete the messages, and report to law enforcement. anonymous-chat platforms can be targets for predators looking for blackmail material.
Never pay. Paying does not guarantee they will not share the recording — it just shows you are willing to pay, which encourages further extortion.
Fake Premium Account Scams
Scammers pose as support agents or attractive users and claim you need to upgrade to a premium account to continue chatting, to unlock a "feature," or to verify your identity.
Legitimate platforms like Coomeet never ask for payment information in the chat window. If someone in a video chat mentions payment, that is a scam.
These scams work because users are caught off-guard in the moment. Always be skeptical of any mention of money or account status during a video chat.
Phishing Links in Chat
Scammers send links in the chat that appear to be from the platform or a social media site but actually lead to fake login pages designed to steal your credentials.
Never click links shared by users in video chats. VPN and other security measures do not protect against entering your credentials on a phishing site.
If you need to access your account, go directly to the platform's website by typing the URL — do not follow links from within video chats, no matter how legitimate they look.
Impersonation Scams
Scammers create profiles that impersonate popular users, influencers, or attractive strangers to draw you into a conversation. Eventually they request money, gifts, or personal information.
On privacy-on-video-chat platforms, remember: anyone can appear however they want on camera. The person in the video may not be who they claim to be.
Never send money to someone you met on a video chat platform, regardless of their story. If they are genuine, they will understand and will not ask.
How to Report Scammers
Use the platform's report function immediately when you encounter a scam. Provide as much detail as possible — the scammer's username, what they said, what they requested.
Good guide-reporting practices help platforms identify scam patterns and ban scammers faster. Screenshot any messages if possible.
If you have been scammed, change your passwords immediately, contact your bank if financial information was shared, and report to both the platform and law enforcement.
Which Platforms Have the Best Anti-Scam Protection
Coomeet has the strongest anti-scam measures — verification requirements, active moderation, and a dedicated trust and safety team. Platforms with no moderation have the highest scam rates.
Before using any platform, check if they have a visible trust and safety page, a clear reporting mechanism, and a history of acting on reports. Platforms that ignore reports are not safe.
The report-system on a platform is a good indicator of how seriously they take user safety. If there is no way to report users, that platform is not worth your time.