What to Do If Your Instagram Account Gets Hacked

There could be a hacking epidemic affecting Instagram right now.

Users with large and modest Instagram followings have recently experienced account lockouts with few alternatives for relief.

You may want to move forward to “Do This If You’re Locked Out of Instagram” and follow the directions if you’re concerned that your account has been compromised. You might be able to address the issue rather easily if you take prompt action. Otherwise, things can become very difficult.

According to a 2017 study by Google and the University of California, Berkeley, 15% of internet users had experienced a social media or email account hack. According to Norton’s 2021 Cyber Safety Insights Report, nearly half of respondents believed that since 2020 began, they had become more vulnerable to cybercrime. According to cybersecurity expert Kristina Podnar, Instagram in particular has developed into a popular medium for hackers since users interact with one another on the app and are comfortable with links and direct messages. (Think about how if a buddy sent you an odd link on Facebook, you would be less likely to click it.)

Additionally, the issue has impacted a number of well-known Instagram users. According to reports, in late April, a hacker gained access to the Instagram account of Bored Ape Yacht Club, a well-known collective for NFTs (non-fungible tokens, digital files that may be purchased and sold as investments). According to reports, the hacker used a phishing assault to deceive the followers of the account and steal $3 million worth of NFTs. Then, according to the boy’s father, “Russian hackers” allegedly took control of the account of 12-year-old Gabriel Clark, who had accumulated 256,000 followers after going viral for his woodworking abilities and raising money for Ukrainian children wounded by the war.

After an Instagram account hijacking, you could only have a very short window of opportunity to save the account. All the steps are listed here, in the order you should try them. We also offer guidance on how to protect yourself in the first place and what to avoid doing when attempting to regain your account.

What to do When You Suspect Foul Play on Your Account

Visit Instagram’s hacked accounts help page if the aforementioned procedures didn’t work.

• Given that the hacker altered your account’s email, it is likely that they also altered the password. To have a Login Link delivered to the phone number associated with your profile, follow the instructions on Instagram’s help page. But it’s possible that the hacker also altered the phone number.
• As an example, check: Click “Get help logging in” (on Android) or “Forgot password?” on the Instagram login page. on an iPhone.
• The email address and phone number that are presently associated with your account are displayed. If the contact information is correct, request a login link. When you get it, adhere to the directions.
• Tap “I can’t access this email or phone number” and follow the on-screen instructions if your email and phone number have been changed. You’ll be required to submit a support request, and you might also be requested to provide a “video selfie” that will be compared to the images on your Instagram account to confirm your identity.
• The last option is to use Instagram’s obscure page for log-in assistance.

Never Try the Below to Protect Your Account

Your only real options, according to the experts we spoke with, are the actions listed above. Online, you might come across persons offering detours, but proceed with caution.

• You might specifically encounter individuals and services who claim to be able to retrieve your account in exchange for a charge. Experts advise against going there.
• No one else besides Instagram personnel and the hacker will be able to update the account’s details to get it back, according to Warren. “I’ve seen a lot of folks get conned again by someone claiming to be able to help.”