A Snapchat Scam Is Threatening To Leak Users’ Nudes And Wipe Their Pics

25 April 2018, 15:25

Snapchat
Snapchat. Picture: Getty
Marianne Eloise

By Marianne Eloise

Three separate hoaxes have been circulating since Tuesday

Snapchat is warning users that they may receive a fake message telling them that their saved pictures, or “memories”, will be deleted unless they send the message to everyone in their contacts. The hoaxes seemed to start flooding in around Tuesday, and it was followed by two additional ones.

Another claimed that all “nude/pornographic photos” would be shared on Snapchat’s official Twitter account – while this is less believable, it’s also more terrifying; tapping into users’ likely already existent fears that their Snapchat nudes could be leaked.

The third states that users will soon have to pay a fee to use the app, and all of them appear to come from the Team Snapchat account (yes, the one that makes you think you have friends every so often but is really just sending you a St Patrick’s Day animation).

Obviously, users of Snapchat started freaking out.

Don't panic!

Addressing the memories hoax specifically, Snapchat tweeted: “We're aware of a Screenshot going around with a rumour about your Memories" – don't worry! This is #fake news”, but haven’t yet addressed the other two.

If you get any of these messages or anything similar, obviously, don’t send them on – but do report them to Snapchat.

Phew!

Now, back to normal service...