The FBI is warning that criminals are breaking into people's social media and personal accounts — using passwords leaked in old data breaches — specifically to steal and resell explicit photos and videos, while the FTC is flagging a wave of social media ads for steep 'discounts' on brand-name goods that are not vetted by the platforms and often ship counterfeits or nothing at all.

An FBI IC3 public service announcement (August 10, 2026) warns that sexual exploitation actors are illegally accessing victims' social media and personal accounts — both adults and minors — through high-volume password and PIN attempts built from data-breach leaks and open-source information, then stealing and posting the victim's explicit content for sale on criminal marketplaces or through community forums. Victims' names, birthdates, and contact details are often posted alongside the stolen material, exposing them to further harassment. The FBI directs anyone affected to report at ncii.ic3.gov.

An FTC consumer alert (August 10, 2026) warns that social media platforms don't thoroughly vet the ads or advertisers shown to users, and scammers exploit that gap by advertising steep discounts on brand-name products — sometimes using the real brand's own imagery — that turn out to be counterfeits, the wrong item, or nothing at all after payment. The FTC's advice: research the seller outside the platform before buying, pay by credit card for the strongest protection, and treat a demand for gift cards, wire transfer, payment apps, or cryptocurrency as a hard stop.