#88 · Sneaky AI Automation Agency Client Signup/Affiliate Strategy
No, using your own cookies is optional. You can export your browser cookies as a JSON file, paste them into the cookie editor, and the scraper will use them. If you don’t have cookies, you can still run the scraper without them.
I'm not a lawyer, so this isn't legal advice, but the legality of scraping is a gray area—hard to say definitively. However, scraping definitely violates the terms of service of platforms like Instagram, and automating a platform in a way that's prohibited carries risk. If you use your personal Instagram cookie with a scraper, you're associating your account with that activity, which could lead to a shadowban, block, or enforcement of their rules. There's no free lunch; automation always involves some risk when you tie your account to a scraper. My recommendation is to look for scrapers that don't require your cookie or account activity, use a semi‑manual method, or accept the risk if you choose to proceed.
The scraper returns full lead data, including email addresses. In my test it scraped 100 leads and provided an email address for each, confirming that email extraction works.
There is no webhook on the Upwork scraper in Maker School. I'm not really sure what you're referring to. You're referring to the HTTP request. You have to call the automation page, though there have been some issues. I don't recommend using my own scraper; I use Upwork. The Upwork extractor is good, and the Upwork scraper without stale job posts works well. The most popular scraper is now rated poorly, so try the newer ones—they're more reliable. Cloud Genius is the next option.
The last option is the Ampify/Apollo scraper, which requires breaking your search into batches of 100 leads. It’s more granular and cheaper per lead, though you have to manage many small searches.