Do you think your Instagram account is hacked? Follow these steps to recover it
Instagram is undoubtedly one of the most fan-favourite social media platforms, if not the most used and popular one. Emerging as a photo-sharing platform, Instagram has evolved to become something much bigger than that. From posting short videos to uploading stories to hopping onto live streams, the platform does it all leaving no compromise on entertainment for the general users. However, this massive popularity makes Instagram prone to account hacks and fraudulent activities. Many users have been victims of such attacks over the years and many have never gained back access to their accounts. But if it’s not too late, an Instagram account can be recovered by performing certain methods which is exactly what we are going to guide you through in this article.
Facebook account hacked? Here’s how to report and recover your compromised FB account
Instagram login activity: How to check and delete Instagram login activity on mobile and PC
Forgot Instagram password? Here is How to change/ reset Instagram password on phone and laptop/ PC
Table of Contents
Identifying a hacked Instagram account can be done in several ways. One of the most prominent instances of a hacked account is when you notice posts and stories uploaded to your account without any acknowledgement. These can be sketchy images or spam texts shown to your followers and audiences. Another way to tell your account is in great danger is when you’re notified of an unfamiliar login to your account through another device. In that case, you should immediately head over to Instagram and change your password in due time. Furthermore, hackers may even revamp your IG profile such as changing the bio and profile picture to portray you as someone else and even bulk spam your friends and followers in DMs.
Got your Instagram hacked? Fret not as there are several methods you can use to recover your account and restore it the way it was prior to the hack.
When you notice something shady with your IG accounts such as unfamiliar login or an image that you never posted, the next immediate step is to change your account’s password. Here’s how.
The majority of account hacks are done from outside the country you reside, or at least that’s what hackers want you to think as they use a VPN to avoid traceability. In such instances, you may receive a mail on your registered email ID regarding an unknown login activity from a different place or country. Here’s how to revoke access from such devices.
At times third-party apps may witness flaws that can put your personal information and data at risk. This happens when hackers are successfully able to bypass the security of the particular third-party app. To remove your account access from such apps, here’s what you need to do.
In case of hacks, the attacker may log out of all your devices after entering into your account. They may change the password as well. In such a scenario, you can request a login link from Instagram via email.
If the above method doesn’t work and the hackers have changed both your email and password associated with your Instagram account, you can request a security code. Here’s how.
Instagram account hacks can completely lock you out of your account especially when the username and password has been changed. Fortunately, there’s a way to report a hacked account using your friends’ accounts. Here’s how.
Securing your Instagram account with preventative measures should always be the priority for any user. With various security layers in place, hackers and attackers can have a hard time getting access to your account. Here are some methods to secure your Instagram account.
Always use a strong password that consists of unpredictable text, numbers and characters. Avoid using common personal information associated with you such as birth date or mobile number and instead use a combination of words and various characters.
Two-factor authentication is a way of adding an additional layer of security over your Instagram account. Although the process of logging in can be tedious but once enabled, it’s completely worth enhancing the security of the account. There are various ways to set up two-factor authentication such as sending the code via SMS, email or even through an app such as Google Authenticator. Hackers may have access to your login details but not your phone or SMS, which simply makes two-factor authentication a lifesaver.
Phishing websites are the ones designed to look like the original website they portray. Once a person falls into the traps of such spoof websites, they can get the login credentials putting your account in great danger. To avoid this, always check the website URL before submitting any of your details. Similarly, don’t simply give away your details to third-party apps and websites asking you to log in with Instagram credentials without verifying.
If you do not post anything publicly and don’t run a page then it’s safe to make your Instagram profile private. This ensures only your friends and followers get access to view what you post without random strangers peeping into your profile.
Always verify and confirm your phone number and email address on Instagram. This ensures you genuinely own the account. Furthermore, having an email setup means you can get all emails related to your IG account such as login alerts, two-factor authentication codes, security codes etc.
No matter how strong the account security Instagram implements for users, there are many thoughtful tricks hackers can use to hack your account directly or indirectly. These are several ways an Instagram account can be hacked.
MITM stands for man in the middle, which is a technique used by hackers to persuade you to hand out your details to them such as account credentials or bank account details in an indirect manner. They do this by finding a loophole in the network and then using it to their advantage by breaking the HTTPS connection request and redirecting all the data of the victims to their site or server. Apart from that, there are many other ways attackers may use the MITM technique such as DNS spoofing, IP spoofing etc. To prevent this, always ensure you’re connected to a safe network and avoid using public wifi.
Ever came across a very appealing product, discount ad and wondered if it’s too good to be true? Well, it’s more than likely such an ad is completely fake and has a catch behind it. This is what bait and switch attacks do. Attackers place very catchy and attention-grabbing ads on a website and when a user clicks on it, it redirects to a shady website and may ask you to enter your Instagram login details to grab the product deal. Once you enter the details it’s game over and the people behind such fraud ads have gained access to your account. As mentioned earlier, always check the URL and verify the websites before entering even minute details of yours.
A verification badge on Instagram profiles, as the name suggests is a way to give exclusive identity to the original person using the profile. It means that the person or organisation behind that profile is an official one while others with the name or profile picture are either fake, fan pages or not affiliated to the verified profile. That said, having a verified badge gives you a sort of elite status on the platform. Taking this into account, attackers send DMs along with a link to people who they think can fall into the trap of greed in getting a verified badge. The link may redirect to some shady website where it asks you to enter Instagram login details. Once you enter, attackers may acquire your credentials.
To ensure the maximum security of your Instagram account, always take these precautions.
Always avoid downloading and logging in to third-party Instagram clients or mods. These apps may provide some additional features and functionalities but at the same time can pose an extreme threat to your security and privacy. Similarly, when logging in to the web version of Instagram on a desktop, ensure the URL contains only www.instagram.com and nothing beyond that especially if you’ve been particularly redirected from a post or ad on social media.
For whatever reason you may have logged in your Instagram account on other’s phone or PC even for a while, ensure to log out after use. You never know what can happen to your Instagram ID in the slightest time period. Additionally, Instagram also allows users to remotely log out of their account on previously signed-in devices through the security settings within the Instagram app and website.
“Earn Rs 10,000 per day working from home” or “Get $800 in your bank account within a week” are types of posts and messages you should instantly ignore without giving a second thought. People behind such content may trick you into giving out your personal details such as login credentials or banking details by putting a huge bait in between in the form of monetary value and even cryptocurrency in some cases.
There are many apps that claim to increase your followers, likes, impressions etc. Do not fall into greed and connect your Instagram account to such apps. This may put your data at great risk and also gives off a suspicious signal to Instagram algorithms on how quickly the stats are skyrocketing without any activity on the account. Over time, it may result in a shadow ban of your account where you won’t possibly be able to grow organically as Instagram won’t push your content and profile to a wider audience.
After going through the tedious process of getting back your account from hackers, don’t let your guard down. Your next step should be to ensure and implement maximum security by enabling two-factor authentication, login alerts, and making the profile private. Additionally, you can always have a look at the ‘Security checkup’ dashboard from account settings to see whether every security measure is in place such as whether you’re using a strong password, have a verified email and mobile number etc.
If you think you’ve entered your Instagram login details outside of Instagram you should immediately head over to the account settings and change your password. But if its too late and you no longer have the access to your account, you can try out several ways to recover your account such as requesting a login link or security code from Instagram. Furthermore, you can report such phishing websites and apps directly to Instagram by mailing phish@instagram.com
If you notice your IG account is leaving comments or sharing posts you haven’t done, in that case, the next immediate effect to take is to change revoke any unfamiliar device access and also change your password. You may also remove third-party access from your account which might be posting on your behalf without any prior acknowledgment. Furthermore, you should also enable two-factor authentication to add an additional security to the account.
If you get locked out of your Instagram account due to hacks or other suspicious activities, there are two ways to verify and claim your identity.
Instagram Help Center may take hours, days or even months to reply to certain queries. Depending upon the intensity of the issue, Instagram may go through various processes in the backend before coming up with a justifiable solution for its users.