Click, Pay, Vanish: Why Online Booking Is Losing Trust
Have you ever been catfished by an online business? Maybe it was hair, makeup, nails, or even clothes. You found them through Instagram, clicked the booking link, paid your deposit — and boom, ghosted. And when you try to get your money back? The bank says there’s nothing they can do, because technically… you agreed to it.
Yeah. Same here.
After getting snubbed three out of four times I booked through Instagram links, I realized this isn’t just a bad customer experience — it’s a full-blown scam culture that’s starting to spiral.
When Booking Becomes a Gamble
Each time, I paid a deposit — and each time I was ghosted, that money vanished. No appointment, no apology, no refund. Just silence. And honestly? It’s exhausting.
At first, I thought it was just bad luck. But the deeper I looked, the more I realized this isn’t just about poor customer service — this is about scammers getting bold.
The Fake Profile Epidemic
It’s shockingly easy to create a duplicate Instagram account and pretend to be a service provider. Scammers steal photos from real stylists, repost testimonials, and use third-party booking platforms to seem legit. They gain your trust in minutes.
The Bigger Picture: Trust Is Breaking
This isn’t just my story. More and more people are speaking out about being duped online. What used to feel like a trusted network of small businesses now feels like a minefield. And with no regulation or refund protection, it’s a risk every time you book.
Twice I’ve been scammed from “Reality TV” shows too, but that’s a whole different piece I’ll gladly write about.
Even worse? There’s rarely any accountability.
The Self-Reliant Shift
Because of all this, people are starting to take matters into their own hands — literally.
We’re learning how to do our own nails. We’re buying hair color kits. We’re watching tutorials to braid, wax, lash, and glow up from home. What started as a workaround has become a movement — self-reliance out of necessity.
Not because we want to cut professionals out, but because we’re tired of being burned.
Here are a few tips I now follow — and hope you will too:
Double-check the profile: Look for tagged photos, video content, or client feedback.
Don’t rush into deposits: A professional will understand if you ask for verification.
Avoid cash apps with no buyer protection unless you’ve worked with them before.
Google the name/business: See if any red flags pop up.
Ask mutuals or past clients: A quick DM can save you serious time and money.
Final Thoughts
I’m not here to bash all service providers. There are amazing, talented professionals who use Instagram to build genuine businesses. But scammers have found a loophole — and they’re taking advantage of the trust people once had in online booking.
Trust your gut, do your research & even after all of this, still support small businesses 💗
