What to Do if Your Instagram Account Was Hacked

The internet and social networks can be an excellent source of information, fun, and even income. But what do you do if you discover that malicious hackers have hacked your Instagram account? Having your Instagram account hacked is a serious problem.

You could lose access to your content and followers and experience numerous issues that severely impact your business and life. Our guide addresses how to tell if someone has hacked your account and what to do to recover and secure it.

Was Your Instagram Account Hacked?

Accounts that are more vulnerable to hackers have vast numbers of followers. But micro-influencers can also be targeted—typically having fewer followers with a high engagement rate on their Instagram profile.

The main goal of hackers is to profit by attacking accounts that they can use to sell products quickly, collect personal information, send malware links, or blackmail an owner into restoring their account.

How to Know if Your Instagram Has Been Hacked

If you log into your Instagram profile and note that something is strange—a lot of spam on your feed or messages sent to your followers from your DM—check for the following:

Email From Instagram

Often, the first sign that something is awry can be seen in an email from security@mail.instagram.com notifying you of suspicious activity regarding your account. This notification is usually sent because someone tried or logged into your account from another device or an unknown location. But if you catch it in time and respond accordingly, you might be able to recover your Instagram account in a few clicks.

Login Activity

By reviewing your login activity under Settings/Security/ Login, you can determine if you did not log into your account.

Correct Email Address and Phone Number

One of the hackers’ first changes is how Instagram uses this data to send you security notifications. So make sure that your account information matches what you entered.

How to Recover Your Instagram Account

Once you determine that your Instagram profile has been compromised, act quickly by taking the following steps:

1. Request Login Link From Instagram

Go to the login screen on the Instagram web page or Instagram app and select ‘Get help logging in’ (Android) or ‘Forgot password’ (iPhone). You should get a register link from Instagram sent to your email address or phone number. But if someone had your Instagram hacked and changed your email, this solution will not work, and you need to go to the next step.

2. Request Security Code

If the login link doesn’t work, click on the ‘Need more help’ button under the ‘Forgot password’ or ‘Get help logging in’. From here, you can request a security code to be sent to your email address or phone number via a text message.

If you don’t receive a security code, go to the ‘I can’t access this email or phone number’ option below the ‘Send security code’ option.

How to get my Instagram account back involves following the final instructions from Instagram support by providing a secure email address that only you can access.

3. Verify Your Identity

Further steps include getting in contact with Instagram support to confirm your identity and that you’re the owner of the account. The verification process can depend on the type of account, which typically entails an account with no photos of you.

You should also include your email address and phone number and the type of device you used to log in, which necessitates an account with your photos. Although it may sound a bit strange, you may need to send a video selfie of your head rotating to visualize your face from different angles. This is a way for Instagram support to determine if you’re a real person and that the hacked Instagram account belongs to you.

Note that Instagram claims that it does not use face recognition and that the video you send will be subjected to human review to confirm your identity and if it matches the person from the account.

Key Takeaways

How to Prevent Future Hacks

To ensure that the unpleasant experience of a hacked Instagram doesn’t happen again, or you wish to protect your account, take the following simple steps and actions to secure your account.

1. Create Complex Passwords

Creating complex passwords is crucial for your accounts, not just social networks. Make sure your password or username cannot be easily deciphered from your publicly available information, such as your birthday, pet’s name, etc. Otherwise, you could be on the fast track of another hacked account on Instagram.

The best option is to look elsewhere for inspiration for a password and ensure it contains a random mix of lower and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

2. Secure Passwords

Once you’ve created a unique and shielded password, make sure to store it in a secure place. Using encryption is one of the safest ways to keep your data safe, making the work of hackers more difficult.

You can also check out some amazing identity theft protection companies to give you peace of mind.

3. Change Your Password Once a Month

Having a strong password isn’t enough. Hackers use various methods to obtain your login data. So to minimize the chances of finding your Instagram hacked (or any account), change your password regularly—and remember to keep it strong.

This can be quite challenging, especially if you have various personal and business accounts. Opting for one of the excellent password managers can be a lifesaver.

4. Use Two-Factor Authentication

Setting up 2-factor authentication (2FA) will make it harder for hackers to get into your account. Go to Settings/Security/Two-factor authentication on your Instagram app and choose how you wish to verify your identity.

If someone then tries to log in to your Instagram profile using an unknown device or from a different location, they’ll be asked to confirm their identity with a code that can be sent to you via text message.

5. Track Login Activity

Make it a habit of checking your login activity. You can view this info on your Instagram profile under Settings/Security/Login activity. If you notice a login from an unknown device or at a time you know it wasn’t you, then you can exclaim, “someone is trying to hack my Instagram.”

Don’t hesitate; reset and change your password immediately. In addition, check for any other suspicious activity on your accounts, such as strange messages, actions, photos, or new followers you didn’t accept.

6. Do Not Open Phishing Emails

Be careful with messages and emails that seem suspect—especially in writing and grammar—allegedly sent by Instagram or other support services. It’s crucial to remember not to click on suspicious links or share your personal information (username, password).

Conclusion

Having your content, followers, and personal and business information was stolen can be stressful and harmful in many ways. You can, however, recognize the signs of being hacked and recover and protect your account by taking the necessary steps above.