We here at the White Hatter have seen a significant increase in calls and messages from followers who are looking for assistance because they have lost control of their Instagram account and someone else is now using it, often an organized crime group, to send messages to friends asking for things like money.
One of the clearest indicators that your Instagram account has been compromised is if your login credentials no longer work. This typically means that a hacker has gained control of your account and has often changed the username, email, and phone number something they own. Once they take control, they will also active two-factor authentication to further make it difficult for you to regain control of your highjacked account.
In some cases, hackers may try to avoid detection, but there are still warning signs that someone else is accessing your account:
- If you receive a password reset email that you didn’t request, it means someone is attempting to access your account. This could also indicate that your email has been compromised. Ensure all your passwords are updated and secure, and enable two-factor authentication (2FA).
- Receiving an email from Instagram about an email change that you did not initiate is a strong indicator that your account has been hacked. Deny the change using the original email address associated with your account. Be cautious of phishing scams; legitimate Instagram emails will come from security@mail.instagram.com.
- If Instagram notifies you of a suspicious login attempt from an unfamiliar location, check your login activity in the app under Profile > Settings > Security > Login Activity. If you notice any unfamiliar activity, mark it as “This Wasn’t Me” to log out from that device.
- Hackers often use compromised accounts to send fraudulent messages to your contacts. If your friends report receiving strange messages from you, investigate your account activity immediately.
- If your account is posting or commenting without your knowledge, it has likely been hacked. The hacker may be trying to scam your followers.
Steps to Secure a Hacked Instagram Account
If you still have access to your account, you need to take swift action to remove the hacker:
- Ensure your email address and phone number in account settings are correct. Go to Settings > Account > Personal Information to check.
- End all active Instagram sessions by navigating to Login Activity and logging out from all devices.
- Reset your password to a strong, unique one that includes a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Do this under Profile > Settings > Security > Password.
- Turn on 2FA for added security (1). Use an authenticator app rather than SMS to avoid phone-based hacking.
- Review your Accounts Center to see all accounts associated with Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Remove any unfamiliar linked accounts.
- Remove Third-Party Apps – Go to Settings > Security > Apps and Websites and remove any unrecognized third-party apps.
Full Account Takeover:
If you can’t log into your account, you can still try to recover it:
OPTION #1
- Check for Instagram Emails: Look for emails from Instagram about password or email changes. Use the “revert this change” link if you didn’t initiate these changes.
- Request a Login Link: On the Instagram login page, select “Get help logging in” (Android) or “Forgot password?” (iOS) and follow the prompts to receive a login link.
- Request More Support: If the login link doesn’t work, you can request additional support from Instagram’s login page by selecting “Need more help?” and following the instructions.
- Verify Your Identity: Instagram may require you to verify your identity. This could involve providing account details or sending a video selfie.
Although this process can take time, it’s the best way to recover your account and prevent hackers from maintaining control.
OPTION #2 Built-In Selfie Recovery Method (2):
Step #1 Change Phone Settings on Your Camera:
Need to make sure selfie photo is as small as possible – if you don’t you will likely get an “Error” message that says “video upload failed. Please try again later”
- Click on “Settings”
- Click on “Camera”
- Click on “Preserve Settings”
- Scroll down and turn off “Live Photo” and back out to previous screen
- Click on “record Video” and click on “720p HD at 30fps”
Step #2 Clear Your Instagram Cache
To facilitate sending your selfie ID to Instagram, the simplest method is to delete the app and then reinstall it from the cloud – this will clear the Instagram Cache. To ensure you are sending the selfie in the best way possible, use the highest data download available, whether it be your data plan or WiFi—whichever is fastest.
Step #3 Send Video Selfie to Instagram
In this step, make sure that you follow these steps on a device that you have previously logged into your Instagram account on.
- Click on IG app
- Make sure you are logged out of IG
- Click on “+ Add Instagram account”
- Log in and click on “Forgot password”
- The “Trouble logging in” screen will appear – DO NOT fill in the Username or Phone box
- Click on “Can’t reset your password”
- You will need to know that the name of the hacked IG now is given that the hacker will often change it from what you named it
- This will take you to a page that says “Choose a way to recover your Instagram account” and click “Try another way” at the bottom of the page
- This will take you to a new page titled “Request support”
- Click on “My account was hacked” which will take you to a new page
- Click on “Yes, take a selfie video to confirm my account”
- Follow instructions to capture the selfie video and hit send
NOTE – Message from IG acknowledging your selfie confirmation can take minutes, hours, and sometimes even days. If you haven’t received a message after 24-48 hours, keep resubmitting video until you get a response
Recovering a hacked Instagram account can be a complex and time-consuming process, but it is crucial to act quickly to regain control and secure your personal information. At the White Hatter, we’ve seen a significant rise in cases where individuals lose access to their accounts, often falling victim to organized crime groups that exploit their accounts for financial scams. Identifying signs of hacking, such as unexpected password reset emails, email change notifications, suspicious login attempts, and unauthorized messages or posts, is vital in responding promptly.
By following the outlined steps in this article, including verifying your contact information, ending active sessions, resetting your password, enabling two-factor authentication, and removing unfamiliar linked accounts and third-party apps, you can enhance the security of your account thus reducing the risk of your Instagram account being hacked in the first place. If you’re unable to log in, requesting support from Instagram and verifying your identity through methods such as sending a selfie video can help you regain access. While the recovery process might be lengthy, it is essential to prevent hackers from maintaining control and further compromising your online security.
NOTE – If you used your same username and/or password for other social media accounts (unfortunately not uncommon) make sure you also change those immediately!
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
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