{"id":5908,"date":"2021-03-12T12:30:01","date_gmt":"2021-03-12T20:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/blog\/?p=5908"},"modified":"2021-03-12T12:33:25","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T20:33:25","slug":"instagram-account-hacked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/instagram-account-hacked\/","title":{"rendered":"Instagram Account Hacked? Follow These Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"

What do Instagram users have in common? If you ask Krista, an Instagram influencer who focuses on fitness, the answer would be HACKERS. As Krista told Mashable<\/a> in 2018, she experienced something that many Instagram users<\/a> have – a hacked account, complete with a changed email and cell attack.<\/p>\n

While Krista experienced a hacked account last year, these types of hacks have (unfortunately) continued into 2019. Cell tied account hacks occur when a hacker gains access to your Instagram account<\/a> and changes your information – including phone number and email address, so you cannot even reset your password or quickly regain access!<\/p>\n

This phenomenon also happened to Instagram user<\/a>, Megan, when she realized she was logged out of her account and that her profile picture had changed. Hundreds of thousands of social media users<\/a> experience similar hack-attacks online.<\/p>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/My-Post-16-1.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” offset=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”on” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Instagram Account Hacked?<\/h2>\n

You go to your social media account<\/a> and notice you are unexpectedly logged out. You attempt to log back in but receive a message that your username doesn\u2019t exist. You type in your customized web URL (for example, instagram.com\/yourusername) and realize that the page still exists, but the photograph<\/a> and other details have been changed by a hacker! They have also deleted your bio details. Worse, your email address and phone number have been changed to prevent you from getting your account back!<\/p>\n

You attempt a password reset, and the site hides the full email address with asterisks, but you can see that the email address ends in a \u201c.ru\u201d email, which is a Russian website. Other times, it might merely be a Gmail address, etc., that you\u2019ve never heard of.<\/p>\n

How to Take Action<\/h2>\n

Contact Instagram<\/a>; although you may initially receive the run-around and be sent to automated account recovery options, sites like these are slowly implementing better strategies of recovery, for hacks of this kind. You will need to message their account recovery division or support staff.<\/p>\n

Regaining access to your account may take a full day or up to a week, but do not be discouraged. You will get your account back eventually and usually within 48 hours.<\/p>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/My-Post-17.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” offset=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”on” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Once you\u2019ve regained access to your account:<\/p>\n

Turn on 2-Factor Authentication<\/h2>\n

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly how a hacker gained access to your account. Sometimes these are coordinated domain hacks; other times, they are individual attacks on multiple users.<\/p>\n

Generally, these types of hacks happen more often to users who don\u2019t take advantage of 2-factor authentication.<\/a> This added layer of protection shouldn\u2019t only be on social media accounts, but also on your email accounts and smartphone.<\/p>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/My-Post-18.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” offset=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”on” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Reset password for the hacked account and other account passwords (and change security questions). Since you aren\u2019t sure where the hack originated or what is at risk, change all of your passwords (email address, bank, credit card accounts, other social media accounts).<\/p>\n