Since Instagram is one of the most popular social network, it is also one of the sites targeted with thousands of hacking attacks. The sheer number of users makes the platform particularly attractive for phishing and similar malicious actions.
If your Instagram account was recently hacked, you have come to the right place. We will share all there is to know about this unfortunate situation. Regardless of whether you are still in control of your password or not, there is hope that you will be able to save your account as long as it is not permanently deleted. Let’s start from the basics.
My Instagram account has been hacked – what should I do?
Signs of your Instagram account being hacked can appear in several ways. You may have noticed post content that you haven’t formatted. Or maybe you just realized there was an intrusion when you checked the login activity section. At worst, you may have discovered that you lost access to your profile because the hacker changed your password and username or deleted the account.
According to Instagram, there are different methods that you can use to recover your account after it has been hacked. We will provide detailed instructions for each method below.
Find email from Instagram
Have you received an email from “[email protected]Notifies you that your email address has been changed? If so, you can undo the action if you were not the one who tried to change the address. Simply select the “Secure your account here” hyperlink at the bottom of the message.
The hacker may have changed your password or other important account information. In this case, you can request the login link from Instagram.
NB: If the “Secure your account here” link sends you to an error page, the link in your email is likely expired. If this happens, then move on to the next steps.
Request a login link
Instagram takes the hacking process very seriously, so the platform has several ways to verify that you are the owner of the account. Someone sends a login link to your phone number or email address.
Here’s how to order this:
- Go to the Instagram login screen.
- Choose Get help signing in if you’re using an Android device. If you are using a file Web browser or iPhone, select Forgot your password?. ”
- Type the username, email, and phone number associated with the hacked account.
- press”next one. ”
- If you forgot any of the information in step 3, select “Do you want more help? ” under “next oneFollow the instructions provided there.
- Choose the site where you want to receive the login link. It could be your email or your phone.
- Faucet “Send login link. ”
- Follow the instructions from the login link from your phone (SMS) or email.
Alternatively, you can request a code from Instagram to verify ownership of your account.
All you have to do is follow the steps below:
- Go to the login screen and select “Get help logging in. ”
- Enter your account details.
- Faucet “Do you want more help? ”
- Choose the account you need help logging into if you have multiple Instagram accounts.
- Select where you want to receive the code, then tap “Send security code. ”
Identity Verification
If you submit an account verification request that does not contain photos of you, you will receive an automated email from the Instagram support team. They will ask you to enter the email address or phone number you used to create your account, as well as the device you used (Android, iPhone, iPad, etc.).
If your Instagram has pictures of you, the support team will ask you to submit a selfie video showing you turning your head in different directions. This method will help them determine if you are the actual owner of your account.
Instagram will review your request and get back to you once the verification is complete. If they decline the application, you can always submit a new application.
If none of the steps below helped you take back control of your Instagram account, try any of the methods below:
- Send a password reset email to yourself.
- Connect to Instagram with this online appearance.
My account was deleted during the hack
If you think that your account was disabled during the hack, you can resume the procedure by following the steps below:
- Open the Instagram app on your phone.
- Enter your username and password.
- Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
If a disabled message pops up, there may be a slight login problem. However, if the hacker deletes the account, there is no way to get it back. Alternatively, you can sign up for a new Instagram account using the same email address.
How to protect from being hacked in the future
How many times have you heard: “Use a strong password that includes at least one uppercase letter, numbers, symbols, etc.”? Although a strong password is a basic block to keep your Instagram account secure, it often takes more than that. The safest way to protect your Instagram account from getting hacked again is to enable two-factor authentication.
Enable two-factor authentication
This powerful security tool asks you to enter a security code from an app or send the code to your mobile phone every time you sign in from a new device. So, even if a hacker hacks into your account from another device with your password, they will have to access your phone’s SMS inbox as well to get the code. This makes it nearly impossible for a hacker to finish the attempt.
To turn on two-factor authentication, visit the Instagram Security page, go to Two-Factor Authentication, and follow the onscreen instructions.
Monitor login activity
You can access the list of all devices that are currently signed in to your account by following these steps:
- Go to the “Settings” page in Instagram.
- Go to Security, then Login Activity.
While browsing the list, be sure to check for any unknown devices or locations. Click on any activity you find suspicious and select Sign Out.
Don’t forget to change your password when you are done logging out of suspicious devices.
Stay away from scammers
Instagram has a useful feature called “Emails from Instagram” that allows you to see any communications the company sends you. Use this feature every time you think someone is trying to get into your account by sending you emails pretending to be from Instagram. Hackers may mistakenly alert you that someone is trying to break into your account and that you should change your password immediately. To check if this email is from Instagram, go to Settings, then Security, then Instagram Emails.
You will see a Security tab containing all the emails the platform has sent you in the past two weeks.
If the email alert about a login attempt or password change comes from Instagram, you should act immediately by changing your login details.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you haven’t found answers to all of your questions yet, keep reading.
How can I verify my identity?
If your Instagram account has been hacked and you have tried all the above steps, then you should reach out to Instagram support for further assistance. But, when you do, you will have to prove that you are the original owner of the account. Instagram provides its users with two options:
1. If you have photos of yourself on your Instagram account, you can send a video selfie to the company.
2. If you do not have photos of yourself in your account, you will need to prove that you are the original owner. You can check the email account or phone number used to create the account and the device you used (eg iPhone, Android, computer, etc.) to create the account.
What do I do if I can’t access the email I use on Instagram?
Assuming you need to regain access to your Instagram account, you will need to access the email listed on your Instagram account. As per Instagram policy, you will need to either update your email on your account (if you can) or try to regain access to that email account.
Unfortunately, if you cannot regain access to your email account, Instagram will not allow you to access your Instagram profile.
Secure your Instagram account
If someone hacked your Instagram account and you managed to regain control of it – you are one of the lucky ones. The experience can often turn out to be a long and uncertain wait, especially if you’re involved with the Instagram support team. To avoid becoming a victim of malicious attacks, make sure you secure your account with a strong password and two-factor authentication. Also, never click on unverified links and offers that sound too good to be true.
How did you recover your Instagram account after a hacking attack? Share your experience in the comments below.
