Instagram is the app to have if you love sharing visual stories with friends or want to keep up with brands and the latest influencer trends. Yet this widespread appeal comes with a dark side. Hackers know how popular it is and constantly try to seize control of user accounts through various sneaky means. Might yours be among them?
This article will guide you through everything you need to figure out if your account is affected. More importantly, it offers practical tips on what to do immediately to regain control and how to prevent your account from being hacked again.
The Telltale Signs of a Hacked Instagram Account
You can tell that something’s up with your Instagram account in several ways. Some signs are subtler than others. Even so, they all have strange, unexpected behavior in common.
For example, you might not even notice that parts of your profile, like your bio or connected email address, have changed. A different email address is especially concerning since it means a hacker may have taken control of your account and changed its recovery options.
Sometimes, hackers will use a compromised account to try and trick others. They may send DMs to your contacts and followers that contain links to bad websites. These may infect their devices with viruses or steal their account credentials.
You might also start seeing stories you haven’t posted that contain similar links. Since they disappear after a day, they’re easier to go unnoticed. Besides that, the hackers might start following new accounts or send follow requests to others.
Instagram keeps track of where you log in from and how you behave. So, if any of these change, e.g., if someone logs into the account from far away, suddenly starts posting more frequently, adds a lot of new friends in a short while, etc., Instagram will send you a message or even suspend the account to keep it safe.
Being unable to log in is the worst-case scenario. This means that the hacker has changed your password and possibly the recovery email.
What Immediate Actions Can You Take?
While there’s no need to panic, you should take action as soon as you discover the weird behavior. The longer you wait, the greater the chance that the hacker will start spreading harmful links or doing other things that will make restoring the account’s ownership and reputation challenging.
If you can still log in, make sure that your account recovery information is correct and change your password. You’ll also want to see whether the hackers have linked other apps to your account and deny their access.
Luckily, locked-out users can still get their accounts back. However, you may need to contact Instagram’s help center and provide proof of your identity.
Long-Term Hacking Prevention Tips
Ideally, you’ll want to be as safe as you can from hacking to begin with. Here’s what you can do now to remain protected.
First, make sure that all your passwords are unique and complex. That way, no one will be able to guess your Instagram password or use a shared one to log into your account. Password managers for iOS or Android are perfect for this since they’re easy to use and will create as many strong passwords as needed.
Next, make sure to turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) inside Instagram’s account center. With 2FA on, no one can access the account from a new, unknown location unless they also enter a temporary security code. Instagram will send the code to your iPhone or Android device, so the hackers can’t do anything even if they have your password.
Finally, you’ll want to pay attention to the emails and messages you get. Be especially suspicious of emails claiming to be from Instagram and asking you to verify your account details. Never give those out or open any links that some emails might come with. Instagram itself already knows your account details, so ignore and report the messages.
Stay One Step Ahead
Don’t let hackers take over your Instagram. Watch for weird changes, act fast if something seems off, and use strong passwords with two-factor authentication to stay protected. A few simple steps now can save you a lot of trouble later and keep your photos and memories safe.
