If you use Instagram, you may have noticed that accounts like @jetbluegiveaways and @delta_giveaways trending as they collect followers. So far, every single one has turned out to be fake. The big question is: what the hell were the people behind them even trying to achieve in the first place?
Generally, the account promises a free trip to the first x number of followers, which needless to say catches attention, but aside from collecting followers, the aim seems unclear.
If it’s just trolling, they put pretty much zero effort into it:
The accounts themselves are fairly bare aside from a few pictures and the offer itself. But there are no rules listed for the promotion, or means of contacting the airlines to collect on the free flight.
It might be an attempt to spam people with pictures of ads in their Instagram feed, since Instagram has proven relatively spam-free as social networks go, or the accounts might suddenly change their names as followers are “sold” to social media trolls who need to puff up their Klout scores to land some consulting contract.
Or it could be an attempt by the secret cult that founded Instagram to add more pictures to the feed, as pictures include a piece of the subject’s soul, and if they collect enough soul pieces, the Gate of Nytharthguar will open and unleash the Ancient Old Ones on the Earth.
But it’s probably the scam thing. Probably.