Strava Scams - How to Protect Runners and Cyclists

Common Strava Scams to Avoid

• Fake Race Entry Sales: Fraudsters target runners desperate to secure spots in sold-out events like the London or Valencia Marathons. They claim they are injured, offer to "transfer" their bib for a fee (often around £80/$100), ask to move the chat to WhatsApp, and ghost you once paid. Note: Most major marathons strictly prohibit bib transfers.
• The "Sorrowful" Marketplace Post: Scammers post in the discussion boards of large, public running clubs offering high-value items (like a PS5, Taylor Swift tickets, or an Xbox) for free or cheap. The caption usually claims it belonged to a "deceased child" or "ex-partner". They only ask you to pay "shipping fees," which they steal.
• Phishing & Romance Scams: Empty, newly made accounts—often using a single blurry profile photo—will follow thousands of users and immediately slide into Direct Messages (DMs). They look to build rapport before pivoting to cryptocurrency schemes, phishing links, or romance scams.
• Location & Life Pattern Tracking: Spies or targeted scammers follow specific targets (such as military personnel or government workers) to map out their daily routines and base locations using public GPS maps.

How to Spot a Strava Scammer

• They ask to move the conversation off Strava to WhatsApp or email.
• Their account has zero follower engagement, no kudos given, and no authentic activities.
• They copy-paste the exact same sob story under multiple different account names.
• They upload fake, manual, or perfectly uniform activities (e.g., exactly 1 hour with 0 elevation gain) to try and look legitimate.

How to Protect Your Account

1. Lock Down Privacy: Change your profile visibility settings to "Followers" so strangers cannot see your exact starting locations or routes.
2. Require Follow Requests: Turn on approval requirements so random bot profiles cannot follow your account automatically.
3. Never Buy via DMs: Only purchase race entries through an official, regulated race transfer portal—never through peer-to-peer apps like Venmo or PayPal Friends & Family.
4. Report and Block: Click the three dots on the suspicious post, comment, or profile and select Report > Impersonation, Scam, or Spam.