November 11, 2025, 3:01 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
A new scam is currently circulating on TikTok, where criminals use fake pleas for help to obtain security codes and take over other people’s accounts. As reported by “Mimikama.org,” the perpetrators cleverly exploit the trust between friends–with an alarmingly high success rate.
Many TikTok users are familiar with the short messages in their inbox: harmless greetings, video links, or requests for likes. Scammers are now taking advantage of this behavior. They hijack real accounts and then send seemingly urgent pleas for help to their contacts–the start of a devious social engineering attack.
How the Scam Works
The scam usually begins with a simple message like “Hello, please, I need your help.” Next, the attackers claim they need to reactivate their supposedly locked TikTok account and require “trusted contacts” for this. Users are asked to forward a code that is allegedly sent to them for confirmation. In reality, this security code comes from their own account–and by sharing it, they give scammers full access to their profile.
Once the attackers have the code, they can change the password, permanently embed themselves in the account, and then use it to deceive more users.
Why the Scam Works
The approach is not based on technical vulnerabilities but on targeted human manipulation–known as social engineering. The perpetrators rely on trust, routine, and willingness to help. Since the message appears to come from a known contact, many users respond spontaneously and without suspicion. This is precisely what the scammers exploit to take over accounts in seconds.
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How to Protect Your Account
No legitimate service–including TikTok–requests security codes via direct message. Users should ignore such communications and immediately report suspicious profiles. It is also advisable to regularly check the device overview in their account and remove unknown accesses. Those who have already shared the code should promptly change their password and contact TikTok support.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication provides additional protection. A password alone is no longer sufficient to log in–a one-time code from an authenticator app or via SMS is also required. This keeps the account secure even if scammers have already obtained the login data.