Room Of Safety Spotlights Biggest Risk On Social Media

On MTV Base Room of Safety series, Melissa knows this all too well. “Someone got hold of my friend’s WhatsApp phone number. They asked me for money and without thinking I immediately sent the money over,” she recalls. “But now that I look back, I know how my friend casually speaks to me. There are red flags when someone is too formal, and you think it is a safe space.”

This tactic is called social engineering, manipulating your emotions and trust to get you to act fast, without thinking. The scammer doesn’t need to convince you they’re a stranger worth trusting. They just pretend to be someone you already trust.

And it’s not just about money. As Melissa points out, accounts can be a lifeline for people: “Some people use their accounts to make money. Some use them to express themselves honestly. Some have been helped by it over the years. The last thing you need is someone getting hold of those accounts.”

For public figures, influencers, and creatives, a hacked account can mean lost income, destroyed reputation, and exposure of private messages or business deals. For everyday users, it can mean humiliation, strained friendships, or being roped into scamming others without even knowing.

Melissa also raises a chilling point about the real-world dangers of digital scams: “We have seen women who have been victims of online scams, online dating that has unfortunately led to their deaths. People could steal not just your energy and your time, but they could steal your life.”

For Nigerian Gen Z, this isn’t paranoia, it’s survival. In a world where every DM, comment, and WhatsApp ping could be a trap, your biggest vulnerability isn’t your password. It’s your trust.