Instagram account hacked: your next steps

The Statistics are showing a worrying tendency: almost every fifth user of social media has already experienced hacking or had an account stolen at least once. This is a serious problem for anybody, as it can lead not only to the loss of personal data and user reputation but also to a permanent if the response isn’t immediate. So, which actions should be taken first? Let’s get into it.

Signs of an account being hacked

First, let’s cover what to look out for if you aren’t sure whether your account was hacked or stolen:

Notification of account being signed into from an unknown device

If you receive the notification that your account has been signed into from an unknown device or unfamiliar place, especially one where you can’t physically be at the moment, it’s a sign your account was most likely hacked into.

However, if you just logged into your profile yourself and got a notification of logging in from a different location, don’t panic. It could be that your geolocation settings are off, or you are simply using a VPN!

You can’t sign into your account

If you’re getting a notification that your password is wrong, it’s really not a good sign. Make sure you are correctly filling in your login details (perhaps you have changed them recently?). If you’re entering all info correctly and still can’t log in, there is a high chance of your account being stolen and access details being changed.

You see suspicious messages and posts

Let’s say you’ve successfully logged into your profile. You open your direct messages and suddenly see a mass of provoking and suspicious messages sent from you. For example, baiting people into sending you money on account of some illness or convincing others to register on a 3rd party platform. These and similar warning signs are clear signals that an intruder is trying to profit off your connections or followers. This can even take the form of posts and reposts/retweets – something along the lines of you being gravely ill and in need of some kind of medical help. Usually, it is followed up by card credentials, which are being used to transfer money from easily gullible followers straight to the scammer.

Your personal data is being changed

You can check on this in your settings: have your personal address, name, phone number, or other details been changed? Evidently, except for you, nobody can make these changes.

Unknown data appears in the security section

If you visit the security tab of your profile, you can see what and how many devices have access to your account at the moment. In the case of an unfamiliar device logging into your account (thought maybe it was you joining, for any reason, from another device a while back and you haven’t logged out yet) you can be pretty sure that someone else has direct access to your profile.

Personal followings and publications are disappearing

Have you suddenly stopped following someone without realizing, and instead some new accounts appear in your following list who are all fishy? Once again, this is a sign of hacking!

There are direct hacking attempts

If you do not receive a password reset correspondence, you should assume that your account is already being breached by someone else! Do not give any form of access to them, and immediately change the data and security settings you have set previously to those only you could know.

First and immediate actions

If you eventually catch sight of one or a number of these signs of hacking, don’t panic just yet! Down below, we’ve listed some steps to help you restore your account to safety. There is no distinct order, so you should act according to your current situation. If you can’t reclaim access to your profile via one of these methods, try using another.

1. Use a provided link

https://www.instagram.com/hacked/

This is an official link provided by Instagram in case of hacking. On the first page, select “My account got hacked.” Type your username in and follow the steps. If you don’t receive the email, check your Spam folder, as it might have ended up there.

2. Check to see if Instagram sent you an email

Open the email account to which your Instagram is linked. Find a message sent by [email protected]. It will contain information about changing the email that is used to enter your profile. Try reversing or canceling this procedure if needed – preferably the way the letter instructs you to.

3. Request a link for an Instagram login

Use this method when you can’t log into your account using your username and password. This is pretty self-explanatory, giving you access to your profile in case of any suspicious activity. It also helps the platform ensure that you are the actual owner of the profile. Receiving the actual link is described in the steps down below:

Forgot password? → Continue

• On the login screen, click “Forgot password?”
• Enter the username, email address, or phone number you used to create this profile. Click “Proceed.”
• You will receive a link with instructions.

Forgot password? → Can’t reset your password → Visit this page → Send login link

• If you don’t have access to any of those, try filling in the information you used for logging in the last time you did it. In this case, you should click “Can’t reset your password?” and follow the instructions as described on the page.
• Select the "Visit this page” link.
• Enter the username, phone number, or email address that you used to register your account.
• Complete the captcha.
• Select your email address or phone number and click “Send login link.”
• Click on the link once you receive it, and follow the instructions on the screen.

4. Request the security code

If the previous steps didn’t lead you to direct results, you can try requesting the security code. To do so, you need to click on the “Can’t reset your password” button, then enter your email address or phone number. Proceed by clicking “Send security code.”

If you don’t receive said code, you should choose the option of not having an email address or phone number to send the code tp, or that you don’t have access to them at the moment. Follow the next instructions to continue restoring your profile.

Important! Make sure to specify a safe email address to which only you have direct access. This provides an additional level of security in the future!

After the code is sent by Instagram, wait for it to arrive and follow the given instructions.

5. Contact the platform technical support team

If none of the above options yielded any noticeable results, then we recommend you send a well-structured message to the support team explaining your situation. The support staff will (if reached by you and not answered by a bot) try to analyze the situation, find out what actually happened to your account, and send you a response letter with extra instructions that might help.

6. Confirm your identity

If you’re filling in a request to Instagram’s support team regarding a profile with no personal photos or details, you will automatically get a response from the staff of the platform. There, you will be asked to confirm the device type you used to log into Instagram (iPhone, Android, etc.) as well as, once again, the email address and phone number that you use for this profile.

In case you actually do have personal photos posted on your profile, you will just have to take a selfie. Don’t panic – there’s really nothing to be scared of here! Just take a few photos/videos of yourself from different angles to show that you are the real person (also be sure that no one else besides the staff employee will see the photos/video). If the photo or video doesn’t pass the verification process, you can try again by sending a new one.

What to do if you have access to your profile:

• Change password: “Settings and Activity” → “Account Center” → “Password and Security” → “Change password”. Or change the password via an email
• Enable 2-Step Authentication: “Settings and Activity” → “Account Center” → “Password and Security” → “Two-Factor Authentication”
• Instagram actually has interconnected profiles between which you can switch easily. Go to the “Account Center” tab in the settings, and check for any unknown or suspicious accounts being connected to yours. “Setting and Activity” → “Account Center” → “Password and Security” → “Save login”
• Limit the information permissions that your Instagram profile has in your device settings.

Ways that scammers steal profiles

Understanding the ways your data can be stolen and driven away to scammers is a crucial part of protecting your profile. It’s even important to know that developers are constantly advancing in the field of security technology and personal user security. Thieves and internet frauds are just as relentless when it comes to breaking said protection methods in order to hack other users. However, if you examine things closely, the most commonly used techniques of scamming haven’t really changed over the years and include:

Unsafe passwords

Many users still use short and usually unsafe passwords, which can easily be brute-forced into or simply guessed to get direct access. Also, if you use the same password for a few apps or email accounts, in a situation of even one database being leaked or passwords being stolen, you risk losing most of your Internet presence due to a large amount of people now having access to your account, including hackers.

Phishing

The most commonly used method of scamming involves fraudsters disguising themselves as someone else – maybe even your friend or family member. They could, for example, write to you as a close friend (from an account that was previously stolen by them) and propose certain actions to you (for example, asking you to help their daughter by voting for her on some 3rd party website). Clicking on such links often leads to losing access to your profile. Or, you could potentially receive a letter from seemingly normal “Instagram” staff, in which you could be asked to, once again, log into your account from a fishy-looking website.

Important! You can only see such messages on Instagram via Settings. Select “Security,” and then “Messages from Instagram” (or via “Message Control”), where you can see all the messages sent to you for the past two weeks.

3rd party apps and websites

Scammers can also hack other apps and services you might use with similarities to Instagram. From there, they get access to the database provided by said service and automatically receive access to your personalized Instagram profile. You could also be offered certain gifts or free services in exchange for filling in personal details or password information (for example, business accounts). Be vigilant, as these types of requests are only ever used by scammers and fraudsters. Never ever lend your personal data to anyone besides yourself.

Viruses or infected software

Let’s say you installed an app on your device from a suspicious-looking source. It’s pretty common for these types of programs to steal your personal information, which could easily be used by hackers later on. Boot up your antivirus software (if you have it), and start the virus-checking process to make sure you are safe.

Protection of account after restoring access

• Two-factor authentication.
  “Settings and Activity” → “Account Center” → “Password and Security” → “Two-Factor Authentication”
  When logged in, go to “Account Center,” and from there, go to “Password and Security.” Enable Two-Factor Authentication, and then log in to activate it. Follow the instructions given afterward.*
  To test it yourself, you can use: 2-Factor Authentication apps (for example Google Authenticator), SMS, WhatsApp, etc. One of these should be enough to enable the process for further use.
  * You can do it vice-versa to disable the authentication process.
  
• Check connected devices and apps
  “Settings and Activity” → “Account Center” → “Password and Security” → “Where you’re logged in”
  Open the Settings tab, and from there visit the “Account Center,” then the “Password and Security” page. Tap on “Where you’re logged in” to see the time and type of devices from which the logging in process was completed, as well as all devices that were directly connected to the profile.
  If you choose to log out from one or a few devices, simply tap “Log Out” for said devices. Proceed by clicking “Confirm.”
  “Settings and Activity” → “Website Permissions” → “App and Website” → ”Active”
  To limit access to certain apps and websites, we recommend you go to the Settings tab. Go to “Website Permissions.” There, you can see all the permissions given to different websites outside of Instagram. Proceed to “App and Website,” then click on “Active” at the top. There, you can remove any unwanted extension, app, or 3rd party website you desire.
• Create a safe password
  The rules are as old as the Internet is:
  - Use not only lowercase letters, but uppercase ones as well.
  - Use numbers and other symbols.
  - Do not use usernames, other logins, old passwords, or your first or last name.

Prevention of further hackings

• Regular security checks
  - Change passwords once in a while.
  - Periodically check your security settings, connected devices, app permissions, as well as last-made logins.
  
• Check your following tab and Close Friend list. If any of these show suspicious profiles, you can always block them or restrict any form of access as described above.
• Do not give any form of access to 3rd parties – both physical ones as well as websites and services.
• Update the Instagram app. Each update usually brings security updates that enhance your personal safety.
• Do not click on suspicious links leading to said phishing websites and other malicious places where your data could be stolen.
• Track your notifications and emails sent to you. You might get a login request there, which you yourself didn’t actually ask for, or an email for changing the account password.
• Always log out on other people's devices and don’t store your personal data on their phones. You never know where they could end up later.

That’s about it!

Safety and personal security of your profile, as well as knowing what to do in case of hacking, is the first and probably most important knowledge one must have while using Instagram. Having millions of followers and highly acclaimed/popular content can wait, especially if your account isn’t properly protected. In case of hacking or any other type of profile loss, the consequences could be catastrophic. Remember, popular content, likes, and followers will always come if you put in the right efforts!