How to recover your hacked Instagram account: Check details here
If someone has accessed your Instagram account or if you are unable to log in, there are several ways you can take necessary actions through the website or app to recover your account and protect your social media account from hackers.
Once your Instagram account is hacked, the fraudsters, with access to your account, can impersonate you, affect your online reputation, misuse your personal information for identity theft, and get your friends and family in trouble. Most importantly, a hacked Instagram business account can also lead to financial losses.
How do you know if your Instagram account has been hacked?
There are some tell-tale signs that indicate your Instagram account has been stolen. If you notice any of the following changes in your Instagram account, it is absolutely possible that someone else has gained access to your Instagram account:
- A different profile picture and feed pictures will appear on your account
- Following people you don’t know
- New messages are sent to unknown people
- Your account stops accepting your password and you can’t sign in
Here are the steps to follow to get back your hacked Instagram account
Check your email for a message from Instagram
The Instagram support team will send you an email ([email protected]) informing you that your email address was changed.
You can undo this by selecting the “secure my account” option in that email. In case any additional information was also changed, you can request a security code or login link from Instagram.
Request a login link from Instagram
To help Instagram verify that you own the account, you can ask Instagram to send a login link to your phone number or email address
On the login screen, click on ‘Get help logging in’ (Android) or Forgot your password? (iPhone or web browser)
Enter the username, email address, or phone number associated with your account, then tap “Next.”
Note: If you don’t have access to the username, email address or phone number registered with your Instagram account, enter the login information you last used, then select ‘Can’t reset your password’? under the ‘Next’ button and follow the on-screen instructions
- Enter the captcha to verify that you are human
- Select either your email address or phone number, then tap “Next”
- Click on the login link from your email account or a text message (SMS) and follow the instructions
- Request a security code or support from Instagram
- If you are unable to recover your account using the login link, you may be able to request support from Instagram
To request support from Instagram:
Enter a secure email address that only you have access to. After submitting your request, you will receive an email from Instagram with the next steps
Verify your identity
You will receive an auto-reply email from the Meta support team asking you to verify your identity by providing the phone number or email address you registered with and the type of device you used to register.
- Change your password and send yourself a password reset email
- Turn on two-factor authentication for extra security
- Verify that the email address and phone number in your account settings are correct
- Check “Account Center” and remove any associated accounts you don’t own or recognize
- Revoke access to all suspicious third-party apps
Steps to avoid being phished
- Ignore suspicious emails or messages
- Do not open or trust messages or emails that demand money, offer gifts, or threaten to delete or ban your Instagram account.
- Emails from Instagram or Facebook about your account only come from @mail.instagram.com or @facebookmail.com.
