Your Instagram account can be stolen with this scam: learn how to protect yourself step by step
Platform and app users have posted an alert on social media due to the increase in Instagram account thefts in recent months.
This trend is harming individuals and businesses, influencers, and professionals in various fields. This is a significant concern due to the potential impact on the victims' reputation, personal connections, and business activity.
This trend is hurting both individuals and businesses. Photo: iStock
The theft of these accounts, besides being a nuisance, can lead to extortion, identity theft, and fraud. Sending messages to the victims' contacts requesting money, pretending to be the account owner, is the most common method used by these criminals, in which they send fake links, tricking people into stealing their information.
The most effective way to avoid this type of theft is prevention, staying informed, maintaining digital security habits, and not trusting messages that promise quick solutions or request urgent action, according to the Clarín website.
We tell you how to avoid hacks on Instagram Photo: iStock
The most common method is through a direct message that appears to be from the Instagram team, in which they can inform you of:
- Your account is in danger due to an apparent copyright violation.
- There is a complaint against you.
- He's about to lose verification (the blue pimp).
They usually send a link that says 'urgent' to supposedly solve the problem.
When you click on it, a page identical to the official Instagram website will open. Once there, you'll be asked to enter your username, password, and even your phone number to apparently verify your identity.
By providing this type of information , you are authorizing these criminals to access the owner's personal account and carry out the hacking.
Discover the methods they use to deceive. Photo: iStock
Clarín explains that the best course of action is to be wary of any suspicious indications that may appear on the platform. It also explains that the following should be taken into account:
- Instagram never communicates via direct message to report security issues or violations. If you receive a DM like this, it's likely a scam.
- Carefully review web addresses. Instagram's legal pages begin with www.instagram.com or help.instagram.com. If you see differences like support-instagram.com or help-instagram.net, it's likely a fake site created to steal your information.
- Never share the security code you receive via SMS or an authentication app. No reputable company ever asks for that code.
Criminals steal Instagram accounts Photo: iStock
- Enable two-step authentication: Codes can be received via SMS or through apps like Google Authenticator . This adds an extra layer of protection when logging in from unknown devices.
- Use strong and unique passwords: preferably those containing letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid repeating passwords used on other services.
- Check official emails from the app: the portal shares the following route to do so without any problems:
- In the 'Settings' menu.
- Click on 'Security'.
- Click 'Instagram Emails' to see the messages sent by the platform in the last 14 days.
- Always log out of devices you are not using.
It's important to always log out of devices you're not using. Photo: iStock
If you're having trouble logging into your account, check your inbox for an email from Instagram at [email protected]. If there's a recent email address change, you can reverse it by clicking "Protect my account."
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