Maddison Fox makes a good living by selling nude photos and videos of herself online. She gains most of her customers via Instagram, where she has more than 300,000 followers. Here she posts semi-clothed images of herself—so as not to get blocked by the app’s anti-nudity rules—to entice customers to buy a subscription to her OnlyFans page, where her more risqué content resides. Fox says she can earn at least $600,000 a year.
In 2022, Fox fell victim to a type of scam that has been little reported but is pervasive on Instagram and aimed at mid-level influencers. Upon opening her Instagram, Fox found an official security message stating she needed to confirm her phone number. She entered her details, but soon afterward her account was suspended. This was serious. Instagram acts as an essential shop front for Fox’s content.
